Futari no kokoro mo
by 123anime
Summary: The voice has vowed to make Ichigo pay for his actions in the past... Ichigo x OC, rated T incase. (It's not as cheezy as it sounds in this summary) PLEASE REVIEW & Hope you like it!
1. Disclaimer

- -DISCLAIMER-

** I DO NOT OWN BLEACH!**


	2. Chapter 1

**HELLO EVERYONE! THANK YOU FOR CHECKING OUT THIS FANFIC, HOPE YOU LIKE IT! PLEASE REVIEW!**

_How are the conditions, Ulquiorra?" says a deep, hoarse voice._

_"The Serentei is planning to send a group of Shinigamis to Kakura town to help Ichigo Kurosaki. *Aside* Trash. *Back to reportin* They have noticed the irregular increase of hollows," says Ulquiorra._

_"Hmph, it would've been easier if they had been kept blindfolded," grumbles the voice, "No matter, this will just result in more bloodshed for them. Grimmjow,"_

_"Yes my lord," says the Espada with electric blue hair, kneeling down._

_"In one week, a band of petty Shinigamis will be arriving in Kakura town. I doubt they will stay for long, so give them a nice welcome, won't you?" says the voice in a sarcastic tone. ..._

We were going to be late. Very late. Darn it.

Stepping out into Kakura town, Rangiku and I are walking around in the real world. I'm staring around, trying to see everything while trying to figure out where we were, and how we'd get to the meeting place Rangiku had been assigned to take me. We'd be meeting the other Shinigamis there, and we had to hurry because thanks to Rangiku's little sake celebration, she was in no condition to travel in the morning. I quickened my pace and something flashes by the corner of my eye. If I remember correctly, it was called ….an advertisement, which was outside a bakery reads "Toronto has hundreds of patios to chill with your BFFs".

"Nee-san," I say, turning to Rangiku who was walking beside me, "What're 'your BFFs' ?"

Rangiku giggled and winked, "Your Boy Friend Forever. The 's' means you have more than one!"

"Nee-san!" I say, "I doubt it means that..." Stupid Nee-san, always trying to get me to talk 'bout romance just 'cause I was single..._That's right. Rangiku should not be pulling you into thinking about romance when you need to get stronger. _I sighed as I imagined my zanpakuto rolling his eyes. He was right though…

"Aw, Chouko-chanchan, don't be so sad. You'll get an _amoreux _soon, hehe. Cheer up, and come!" she says, dragging me along to the nearest store, "Lets go shopping! If you know where to go in the Human world, you buy really pretty clothing-especially undergarments!" Rangiku winks, "and with my watermelons..."

Uh oh, she was going to bring up that subject again.."ANYWAYS," I say, interrupting her, "THIS IS A MISSION. Captain Hitsugaya will be angry if we're late."

"And your captain?"

"..." Captain Kyouraku would probably be drinking sake at a random pub in soul society, but I was a mission, so I doubt he would be too carefree about me slacking off once he heard, "My captain too. Now, lets go to that place where we were suppose to meet. Or else if we arrive late, I'll blame it on your hangover in the morning, and then YOU can be the one who's stuck with the extra paperwork."

"Okay, okay..." Nee-san looks at me and pouts, "Onegai, Chouko-chanchan, just one store..."

I felt myself give in just a little…maybe one store? It didn't seem like it would take that long…. but then I thought of the paperwork and how we were already going to be late and shook my head, "Which will turn into several before we know it. Lets go~where was it again?"

Rangiku pulls out a crumpled piece of paper, "Ichigo's house."

"...okay..." I say, looking at her for directions.

Rangiku looks back at me, "What? Lets go!" she pauses, "Aren't you going to pull me along? You usually do?" suddenly, Nee-san had a mischievious look, "Aw, Chouko-chanchan, did you fall in love with Ichigo~maybe we can even visit the patio after with Ichigo and u can spend time with him, your BFF!"

"WHAT?! NO!" I say, turning bright pink. Darn it, Nee-san was back to embarrassing me again... _At this rate, you're going to be very late. _grumbles my zanpakuto crossly, _all because of a stupid substitute shinigami you don't know. Ano…any ideas how I can get to the meeting spot in time? __Get better at shunpo. __Hmph, in the end it all comes down to getting stronger, eh? You know it too. I just want the best for you. I knew that. Pfft yeah right. Now quit wasting time talking 'bout petty matters with me and get going already! _With that, my zanpakuto went back to my inner world, and left me to cope with Nee-san by myself. Thanks a lot.

"YOU DO!"

"NO I DON"T. NEE-SAN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THIS ICHIGO PERSON IS!" Rangiku's face fell. "So you need to tell me where we should go," I said, turning so my back was facing her, "Please.."

Rangiku saw an opening, "Just one store?"

"Nee-san, let's go. Just think about the paperwork we'd get," I say in my serious voice. I turned and started walking in a random direction. Thinking back, I probably should've brought that thick map my Captain had left ontop of my suitcase, but I was always lazy in the morning... "We're already late." _Hmph. Why am I stuck with a master like you? Kori no Sokubaku, H _I imagined myself waving to him. Now. Back to the original problem. Late=paperwork. Letting Nee-san take me=more embarrassing conversations=me drawing my zanpakuto=a demolished Kakura town=more paperwork. Me going in a random direction= Getting Lost=Me blaming it all on Nee-san.

I'd pick myself going in a random direction anyday. Now, hopefully we wouldn't be too late?

ICHIGO'S POV:

"Yuzu, Karin, DAD I'm home," I say, going up to my room. Dumping my bag on the floor, I heard a rumbling sound. Seconds later, my window flies open and something-a bunch of things, fly into my room.

I stared at the heap on my floor, "Thats weird," I said outloud, "I'm pretty sure I didn't order a red pinapple, a pachinko ball, something with feathers, or something..." My eyes bulge, "RENJIIKKAKUYUMACHIKATOSHIRO WATAREUDOINGINMYROOMLOOKATWATUDIDTOMYWINDOWDAMMIT? !"

"That's CAPTAIN HITSUGAYA to you," says Toshiro, picking himself off the floor.

"YO!" says Renji and Ikkaku, while Yumachika pulls out a comb and mirror and fixes his hair.

"Hello, Ichigo, " says a voice, and I look up to see Rukia sticking a head in through my skylight. She jumps down and surveys the room, "Okay, is everyone here?"

Toshiro looks around and I see an anger vein popp out, "dijfeisdkjfkdiejfeskfek## Masumoto's late, so's Chouko-san... "

"Chouko? Who's that?" I say

"Oh, Chouko's a new shinigami, in Captain Kyouraku's squad," said Renji, "She has a weak reliatsu, but she's the third seat of Shunsui's squad. Rangiku's sister."

"She's also very beautiful, " said Yumachika, finally putting away his mirror, "Not as beautiful as me, but close. Now, where can they be~?"

As if right on cue, I heard two voices outside of my skylight, "Nee-san, are you sure we shouldn't knock on the front door? I don't really know them...and if we pop in like this, Captain Hitsugaya might be angry…"

"It's fine, this is more dramatic! And plus, you were the one saying we were going to be late, so this is faster too!" A crash, two Shinigamis burst in, landing on the floor.

"Alright, I'm going back, " says Rukia, giving Renji a peck on the cheek, "Ni-sama just sent me to make sure everyone came! "

I stare at the person who must be Chouko. Her blonde hair was tied in two high pigtails, and loose strands fell down, framing her face. Her reliatsu, on the other hand, was nothing. Huh?

"DAMMIT YOU TWO," Toshiro was full steam, "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG? YOU IDIOTS, JUST 'CAUSE WE'RE COMING HERE TO COMPLETE OUR ANNUEL REPORTONKAKURATOWN AND THERE'LL PROBABLY BE NOTHING SEVERE THAT WILL HAPPEN DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN COME LATE!"

"I'm sorry Captain, " says Rangiku, "We got lost…" Toshiro's face gets redder then red, I don't know how that was possible but it was…

"Yo, Ichigo Kurosaki. What's your name?" I said, giving the new Shinigami a friendly smile.

She looks up at me, her eyes slightly wide, and she quickly looks down at her feet, "Chouko Masumoto. Nice to meet you, Kurosaki-san."

Chouko's POV

Kurosaki-san gives me a friendly smile, and I feel a bit of the tightness that had gripped me loosen up. The corner of my lips quirk upwards and I give him a small smile.

Rangiku leans into my ear and softly whispers, "So was I right? Is my little Chouko-chanchan in love with Ichigo?"

"WHAT?!" I yelled, both embarrassed and relieved because 1. I just yelled infront of a stranger. 2. My shyness dissappeared, "NEE-SAN!"

"Now, now, don't be mad..." Rangiku was about to continue to tease me, when I felt a sudden rise of reliatsu outside. I opened my mouth to warn them but Nee-san got there faster, "There's some hollows that have come, Captain Hitsugaya!"

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**PLEASE REVIEW! 0 Reviews right now...who will be the first?**

**THANK YOU FOR READING AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO STAY WITH THIS FANFIC 'TIL IT'S FINISHED!**


	3. Chapter 2: Espada?

Chouko's POV

Kurosaki-san gives me a friendly smile, and I feel a bit of the tightness that had gripped me loosen up. The corner of my lips quirk upwards and I give him a small smile.

Rangiku leans into my ear and softly whispers, "So was I right? Is my little Chouko-chanchan in love with Ichigo?"

"WHAT?!" I yelled, both embarrassed and relieved because 1. I just yelled infront of a stranger. 2. My shyness dissappeared, "NEE-SAN!"

"Now, now, don't be mad..." Rangiku was about to continue to tease me, when I felt a sudden rise of reliatsu outside. I opened my mouth to warn them but Nee-san got there faster, "There's some hollows that have come, Captain Hitsugaya!"

Toshiro nods, adjusts his zanpakuto-I never understood how he was able to carry such a large thing, but then hey, if he can be a captain, than nothing else would be more suprising-and says, "I'm certain they're all Arrancars..." Nee-san gives Captain Hitsugaya her 'If you're wrong, treat me to a cup of sake' look, and I wince, remembering the sake bottle Nee-san had convinced me to try.

"No," Toshiro glares at her, and just for that moment I wanted to fling myself and him and say THANK YOU! "You already drink too much sake in the first place. There are...6 I think. Rangiku will take one, Renji another, Yumachika one, Ikkaku one~"

"ALRIGHT!"screams Ikkaku happily.

Captain Hitsugaya glares at him for interrupting him, "... I'll take on one myself, and Ichigo, you will fight with Chouko with the last one that has the strongest reliatsu. It's only fair, since you are fighting with a partner."

Okay, so I usually don't contradict a Captain but…I frown, "I can take care of myself, Captain Hitsugaya." _That's right. _

Yumachika shakes his head, "The last hollow's reliatsu is really strong. You're reliatsu is week, and I'm betting my beauty on it that it's either an Espada, or an former-Espada-but-now-arrancar hollow."

"..."The reliatsu thing hit a nerve but I sighed, he did have a point. Plus, to be able to fight along Ichigo, maybe I'd get to know him better? "Okay..."

"Great!" Ichigo says, startling me by punching me lightly on the shoulder, "I'm sure we'll be fine, eh Chouko?"

"Um, yes!" I nodded, rubbing where he had punched...Ichigo touched me...ACK WHAT AM I THINKING? Kurosaki-san...he didn't know how I fought, or the fact that if the hollow was tiny, then we might have a problem...

Nee-san must've been a mind-reader, 'cause she turned to me and poked me in the chest, "Remember, they're hollows. If you are going to fall in love with a tiny one, then remember that sticking in your zanpakuto cleanses them, so it's the best." I nod, and grip my zanpakuto tighter. I'll try to remember that...

We pick up our zanpakutos, Ichigo gets out into his shinigami form and we depart out through his window. We split up into different directions, all except for Ichigo and I. We look up, and see the hollow. It had a hole in the stomach, with electric blue hair, and the number 6...NOT TINY. THANK GOODNESS.

"Espada..." whispers Ichigo to me

I stared in awe, "An Espada..."

The Espada smiles freakly at me, and says, "I don't want to fight with you, girl. I'd rather take you as my beautiful pet...hehe. I'll just get rid of your prince here, " he lunges for me, "Or maybe not!"

Ichigo grabs my waist and throws me aside. "Kurosaki-san?" I say, suprised.

Ichigo draws his zanpakuto, and focuses on the Espada, "I'll fight the Espada."

I glower at him, watching him dance around. I had to admit, he was good, but that didn't mean I couldn't help out! And hey, even if I had weak reliatsu that didn't mean I was useless! "Kurosaki-san, I can fight too!"

"No!" he says, his reliatsu suddenly flaring wildly, "I can't control my reliatsu right now, I don't want you to faint or get hurt."

I harrumphed, but decided to be good and give him a chance, just to see how he fought... It wasn't fair. He didn't know how I fought. Although I'd probably freeze right there on the spot 'cause I was such a scaredy cat. Or not, I think, changing my mind as Ichigo suddenly gets a deep cut on his sword arm. Ichigo's movements falter a bit, and that was all the Espada needed to lunge in. Ichigo swerved at the last moment, but recieved a scrape on his face.

The Espada laughed, "Did you suddenly get slow, Ichi-berry?" he jeered. The Espada lunged,, and I decided that, me freezing in terror or not, it was time to go help out my fellow Shinigami stranger/friend. Bracing myself, I raised my zanpakuto, diverting the Espada's attention.

"Oh, pretty fair maiden is coming out to fight, I see!" Grimmjow sneers.

Ichigo turns to tell me to leave, but the Espada fires a light cero at him. Caught of guard, Ichigo gets blasted into the wall, but somehow he's still okay.

"Kuso," I say to myself, momentarily frozen in terror. But Kurosaki-san was hurt. An image of Raki-kun passes before me, and I felt a cold calmness spread through my body. No Shinigami would die again like that. "KUROSAKI-SAN, HANG IN THERE!" I touch my fingers gently over the tip of my zanpakuto's blade and whisper "Fly, Kori no Sokubaku." Instantly, water flys out, ribbon like, and wraps around the Espada's arms and legs. They freeze into shackles, shackling the Espada to the nearby wall that Ichigo had been blasted into. The Espada screams in frustration, and he fought to break the ice.

_Hey Kori no Sokubaku?_

_I can hang in there. He's strong, but with your strengthened reliatsu, I can keep Grimmjow there._

_Right, arigatou, Kori no Sokubaku._

I turn to Ichigo, and checks over to make sure he's okay, "Kurosaki-san, can you move?"

He nods, even though I can tell he's unsteady on his feet. Stubborn guy. Oh well. The problem with my zanpakuto was that he was against stabbing someone, because that would spill blood-and frankly I didn't like killing anything either... Now that the hollow was safetly shackled and couldn't do anymore damage momentarily, the terror was starting to flow through my calm barrier again. When terror came back, so did my nervouseness, "Ano...Kurosaki-san, can you send him to the Soul Society with your Zanpakuto?"

Ichigo nods and pulls himself up. I stare at his wounds, and feel guilty. If he had let me fought from the beginning...No, it was my fault. I was always so terrified...Kurosaki-san draws out Zangetsu, and stabs it into the Espada, but it simply dissappears. I frown, it seems that the Espada didn't go to the Soul Society?

Ichigo's POV:

My hands hurt, and I'm bleeding, but I'm barely conscious of that. I should've gone into my mask form but...The Espada is gone, that's all I know, as I let loose of my zanpakuto. I fall into darkness...

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 3: HIGHSCHOOL?

**DISCLAIMER, I DO NOT OWN BLEACH, JUST MY OWN CHARACTER!**

**_To my lovely readers:_**

**_Hehe, so far I'm updating pretty fast, so savour the moment XD_**

**_Please stay with me until I finish this story!_**

**Ichigo's POV:**

It's warm, I think...what happened? My injuries...they don't hurt so much anymore...Suddenly, a blinding light shines into my eyes, and I blink awake at once.

"Boss!" says Tessai, "Mr. Kurosaki has been officially declared as: AWAKE."

Next thing you know, I'm slapped in the face and punched in the nose. The heck? Looking up, I see a mad Chouko towering over me.

"BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA STRAWBERRYHEAD!" she yells in my face, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, SHOVING ME TO THE SIDE LIKE THAT. WE'RE SUPPOSE TO WORKAS A TEAM!"

"YOU IDIOT!" I YELL BACK, "I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY YOU'RE SCREAMING AT ME BUT HEY I'LL SCREAM BACK~" Then I catch myself, and get a good look at Chouko.

Chouko is trembling, with tears out of the corner of her eyes, but she lifts her hand and and wacks me twice on the head, "DID YOU RECOVER FROM ANMESIA NOW, STRAWBERRY?" I'm confused. Then it comes back to me. The espada. Me almost getting killed. Chouko using her shikai.

"Oh."

"OH?!" I stare in suprise, I've never seen Chouko this angry... "IS THAT ALL YOU CAN SAY? DON'T U EVER TRY TO DIE LIKE THAT AGAIN, ICHIGO-STRAWBERRY-KUROSAKI-BAKA!" then right there in front of me, she bursts into tears. Ack. Chouko, was she that worried about me? I get up and awkwardly put my arm stiffly around her, "Hey, I'm okay now, so-"

Mr. Hat-and -clogs appears randomly and shoves me down, "No, no, Ichigo. You still need to rest 3" he taps my forehead with his fan, "Chouko-chan there was actually very worried about you, Ichigo." I stare at her, sobbing softly with her head bowed, and I pat her back gently. I was kind of touched by her concern.

"Kisuke, quit dwadling and tell him the other changements being made." says Yoruichi from the doorway, "If you don't let him sleep I'm not gonna help u out again when Chouko wacks you on the head."

"Other changements?"

"Yes. While you were unconscious, the other Shinigamis reported to Head Captain Yamamoto, and we believe the sudden appearance of hollows was due to the breeding season. Just to be safe, however, for there has been a detection of new hollows coming here to this city a bit more often then usual, today Head Captain Yamamoto has decided to leave you, Mr. Kurosaki, with some help. Obviously, we cannot have 6 other soul reapors stay with you here, therefore the soul society has decided to send Chouko with you to stay here. She'll be living with you-oh yes, your father has already agreed-and going to school with you. Ah, you might even become high school sweathearts-ouch!"

Yoruichi wacks him on the head, "Ichigo, time to rest now, we'll talk about this tomorrow, without Urahara here trying to play cupid."

Chouko's POV:

I'm following Urahara-san around all day, doing bothersome chores here and there for him. I look up through the window and saw that the sky was becoming a pretty orange colour, and sighed. Maybe after this I'd like paperwork better..."Urahara-san, will you explain this to me now?" I said, putting away the last set of pills, "This, uh, mission I've been assigned to?"

"It's very simple," Urahara snaps his fan shut and puts on his creepy way-too-happy-smile, "You follow Mr. Kurosaki around, and go to highschool with him and help him defeat hollows!"

"I know but.." I remembered my terror whenever I fought something, "It's just, did Head Captain Yamamoto really choose me? Or did Captain Kyoraku? Surely he knows that, well, I'm not the best at fighting..."

Nee-san pops out of nowhere and gives me a hug, "Actually, it was I who recommended you. Face it, Chouko-chanchan, you need the practice. You'll get over your fear, 'cause you got Rangiku blood in you!"

I felt a twinge of sadness at the thought that Nee-san wanted me to be away from her for a while, but I convinced myself that she had done that for the best. Maybe with Nee-san not protecting me all the time, I'd improve faster?

_It is for the best, Chouko. She loves you. __Yeah I know, Kori, thanks for the pep talk. Chouko, think about it. If you get better now, you'll be able to make up for that incident with Raki, and your Captain would be happy too. Get stronger, Chouko, you need to if you want me to stay with you. Of course I'll get stronger! I just wish Nee-san wasn't as eager to get me to leave her side... She isn't eager. Rangiku's zanpakuto tells me that she's sad too, but she wants the best for you, and so do I. Focus, Chouko, so that next time if something like that incident with Raki happens again, you'll be able to prevent it. Focus!_

I nod, as usual, Kori no Sokubaku was right. _I will! Arigatou, Kori no Sokubaku. _I felt my zanpakuto purr with satisfaction before it went back to its inner world. "Okay but, uh, I don't really know what high school is?"

Nee-san grins and goes back to her cheery self, "Chouko-chanchan, don't be so nervous, you'll like high school, I promise! And you'll spend more time with your Ichigo this way ."

"NEE-SAN?!" I blush, stupid Nee-san, always trying to play cupid, "You're just like Urahara-san!"

"What?!" Nee-san blushes an angry shade of red, "How dare you pull me down to the low likes of him?"

Great. This was just great. I was going to practically live with Ichigo~ I wasn't sure whether I was happy or annoyed, though..Picking up my suitcase, I winced. Why was my suitcase so heavy?! Oh well, never mind. As long as I was able to carry it, it would be fine, although I don't remember packing so much things...Ichigo opened the door, and I walked out, half dragging my suitcase along with me.

"Hey," said Ichigo, holding out his hand to me. I froze, staring at him. "Well? C'mon!"

"..." I felt my heart start to beat just a little faster. The heck?! Did he want me to hold his hand while I was carrying a suitcase?! "Nani, Kurosaki-san?"

"Your suitcase let me carry it."

Oh, that was kind of sweet but...An anger vein popped out, "No. Who do you think you are, anyways? I can carry my own stuff by myself you know!" Hmph! He still thought I was weak even after I had to save his sorry butt last time with Grimmjow...OKAY SO WHAT IF IT WAS MY FAULT THAT I HAD A WEAK RELIATSU! I'll get better, I know I will! Well, okay, I'll try to... I was kind of dissapointed that he wanted my suitcase and not my hand...DARN IT WHY WAS I THINKING OF THIS?

Ichigo takes it from me anyways, and swings it up and down, "Why did you put so much stuff in it anyways? Is it a girl thing?"

A-waht? I'm secretely thankful that he took my suitcase, "I don't know what you mean by a 'girl thing', Kurosaki-san..." My stomache grumbles, "Ano…will we be there soon?

"Yeah and," Ichigo gestures to my stomache, "Yuzu should be almost done dinner by now..." _Thank goodness…Hmph, you're so naive, you didn't even notice the fact that he was teasing you. Wait, so will there be food? Yes, gosh, dammit why do you eat so much? I swear you're going to pig out if you find out what's for dessert and no one drags you away… Why? What's for dessert? You'll find out for yourself. _

We stop in front of a house that must've been Ichigo's and I ring the doorbell. A young little girl with short blonde hair runs out, wearing an apron, "Ichigo, time for dinner! where have you been?" then, noticing me, the girl smiles, "Hi! Are you Ichigo's girlfriend? Are you going to stay for dinner? You must! Ah, you didn't even tie your scarf properly-it's fall you know. With the crazy change of weather, you can get sick easily."

"Yuzu, this is Chouko Masumoto. Chouko, this is Yuzu, my younger sister," says Ichigo.

I give Yuzu a friendly smile, while watching her run around, fussing over Ichigo like a mother hen. She's so cute! So tiny tooooooooooo! Kya! I just wanted to cuddle the cute thing-did I mention I have a soft side for tiny things?

"Welcolme home, Ichigo!" says a voice as something zooms through the air. Ichigo ducks at the last moment and his dad flies over his head and lands on the floor. Picking himself up, he turns to me with a bright smile, "You must be Chouko-chan who's coming to stay with us! A very beautiful lady," he says, tears of happiness running down his cheeks, "Ichigo is lucky to have you as his girlfriend-"

Ichigo punches him in the face, "Chouko, this is my dad, Isshin Kurosaki. Dad, this is Chouko. I'll take Chouko upstairs and help her unpack."

"Lovely, how lovely, already on first name basis! Oh, yes," Mr. Kurosaki said, "I forgot. Our house is quit crowded right now, so there aren't any spare rooms. I've been ordering lots of new things lately! Chouko-chan, you won't mind sharing a room with Ichigo, now will you? "

Ichigo sighs, turns and starts walking upstairs with my suitcase. I take a few steps uncertainly before turning back to his dad, "Ano..." I bow, "Nice to meet you, Kurosaki-san."

Mr. Kurosaki stands and takes a Sensei stance, "Call me DAD."

"Um.." I look down at my shoes, feeling awkward, "O-okay, uh, Dad..."

"Yes!" says Ichigo's dad, throwing himself at my feet, "I've always wanted to have a third daughter!"

I follow Ichigo upstairs, and turn around to give Karin a polite wave. So this was the Kurosaki family... Dumping my suitcase on the ground, I started to unpack. Ichigo rummaged around in his closet until he found a small drawer. "Here," says Ichigo, placing it beside his bedroom wall, "For your clothes."

"Hai! Arigatou gozaimasu, Kurosaki san."

Ichigo shakes his head, "Ya don't need to be so formal around me. Just call me Ichigo, if you keep on calling me Kurosaki-san, I'm gonna think I'm like my dad or something." I imagine Ichigo as the mini-version of his dad, and couldn't help but giggle. Embarrassed, I turn back and click my suitcase open. We both stare at the contents with goldfish eyes.

~SILENCE~

Then I spotted a small sticky in the corner.

_Chouko-chanchan,_

_Just in case if you grow a bit more and have watermelons like me, I decided to pack you some more undergarments! Hope you don't mind! Oh, by the way, I went shopping yesterday and I couldn't fit some of these wrapped packages in my bag to take back to the serentei so you'll keep them safe for me, won't you? Don't open them, or I'll be mad~_

_If it's too heavy, just ask your Ichigo to help you carry it! Enjoy your visit!_

_-Your Nee-san, Rangiku ^.^_

"Nee-san..." I stare at the pile of randomness in front of me, then back at my petite chest, "I probably won't grow..."

"Uh," Ichigo turned away, his face red as a strawberry, "DINNER! LETS GO DOWNSTAIRS!" he yelled, faking a cheerful act.

"H-hai!"

After eating a delicious helping of Yuzu's dinner, I went upstairs with Ichigo. Thinking wistfully of the strawberry gateau Yuzu made for dessert, I plead, "Kurosaki-san, just one more piece of cake and I'll be right back, okay?"

"..." Ichigo glared at me, hehe, he looked so cute! "No, and I told you to call me ICHIGO."

"Okay I~chi~go" I say slowly, feeling my shyness vanish as I spent more time with him.

An anger vein poppes out, but I ignore it, "I~chi~go please?"

"No. I have to help you get ready for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"You're coming to school with me."

"Oh yeah, " I smile sheepishly, feeling a bit nervous, "Sorry, I forgot."

He sighes and sits on his bed. Opening his drawer, he rumages through a bunch of papers... After a while, he pulls out a picture-a class photo-and hands it to me, as well as a white board with a marker. "Here," he said, "Hold this." Sitting down beside me, Ichigo peers over my shoulder and introduces me to everyone in the photo. I'm only half listening-way too aware of his warm breath down my neck. Way too close, KYA….

"And this is-"

"Ah, I'm in heaven! Hello beautiful!" says a stuffed lion, flying across the room. Ichigo grabs it by the neck before it can reach me,

"This is Kon."

"Ichigo, no fair! If you're not going to tell the beauty that you love her lemme have her!"

I stare at Kon, the tiny little stuffed lion. TINY. I reach over and rescue Kon away, and cuddle it, "KYA! HE'S SO CUTE! ICHIGO, WHY DIDN'T YOU SHOW ME THIS EARLIER?! KYA! SO TINY," I cooed at it, cuddling it even tighter, "His name's Kon, you said? HIYA KON, YOU'RE A CUTE BOY, AREN'T YOU?"

"..." For a split second, I see something flash across Ichigo's face...was that jealousy? I laughed, and, wanting to tease Ichigo just a bit more, I gave Kon a slight kiss on the forehead.

"Oh Chouko, my Chouko!" said Kon, practically lost in his own love world.

"Yeah, okay, lets get back on topic," says Ichigo, looking annoyed. He picked up Kon and threw him out the window.

"Ichigo!" I say, watching poor Kon fly out the window, "That wasn't nice..."

"Huh, say that again when Kon decides to play detective on you while you're asleep here on my bed."

"Nani?! I'm sleeping in YOUR room?!" Ichigo nods, "W-wait, what about you?"

"Don't worry," says Ichigo, pulling out a mat from the closet, "I'll sleep on the floor."

"Are you sure?" I ask, "I could sleep on the floor if you want~"

"Or, huff huff," said Kon, peering in through the window, "I can sleep with Chouko-cahn and keep her company!" "..." Ichigo lifts Kon off and tosses him out the window again. "Ready for tomorrow?"

I nodded uncertainly. "Don't worry," Ichigo gives me one of his rare smiles, "you'll probably be put in my class. If you mess up, I'll be there."

I frowned, "What do you mean, IF I MESS UP?! I'm not going to, Ichigo!" _I'll be fine, I'll be fine, I'll be fine, I'll be fine, I'll be fine,_ I think, repeating it over and over in my head.

"Well you are pretty idiotic, thinking that Kon was adorable.." My pillow hits him squarly on the side of his head. "Hey, what was that for?!"

"KON IS SO TINY, HOW CAN YOU NOT THINK HE'S CUTE? YOU'RE THE BAKA, ICHI-BAKA!"

Ichigo frowns, and soon it turns into a pillow fight.

Ichigo's POV:

It's nighttime now, but I can't sleep. Chouko...she made me jealous...I blush, and close my eyes, trying to sleep. No luck. I throw off the blankets and get up, and hear a muffled crying sound. Chouko? Was she crying~?

To be continued...

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Kinda short, sowwie. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! TT. TT**

**Hoped you liked it so far!**

**To my lovely readers:**

**Hehe, so far I'm updating pretty fast, so savour the moment XD**

**Please stay with me until I finish this story!**


	5. Chapter 4: Planned to Confess

**HI EVERYONE! HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CHAPTER, BUT IT'S A BIT SHORTER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE...**

Chouko's POV:

"Ah.." I stared up at the hollow, defenseless. My teammates' limp bodies are scattered across the grass. The only person who was moving was me.

"Delicious little thing..." it laughed, reaching out a hand for me. I screamed, and tried to move away, but my limbs wouldn't move. "No one can save you, little one. Hehe, your sister left you for just a few moments and now you can't even defend yourself, eh?" It laughed, "Too bad..."

I started to shake from fear, and tears streamed down my cheek.

It swerved away from me and grabbed something else. Turning back to me, it's tentacles waving, it held up the limp figure of Ichigo, "This boy...do you care for him?"

"Ichigo..." I had a flashback of Orihime pathetically standing there, whispering "Ichigo..." I wasn't going to be like that. "KUSO!" my zanpakuto wasn't there, and the only thing I had was myself. "Let him go!" I choked out, between tears. The hollow laughed, and I launched myself towards the hollow, and fired kidos all over the place, "Kori no Sokubaku, where are you? I'm not going to let Ichigo die! Not like Raki!"

Everything vanished, and I was pulled into my inner world,

_"Chouko."_

"You're here..." I wiped away my tears, "Where~?"

_"Do you want to learn the next stage of me?"_

I nodded, "I'm going to protect Ichigo...he won't die…not like Raki-kun….I want to protect them, Kori no Sokubaku." Feeling a cool calm wash over me, I forgot about my fear of battling momentarily.

My zanpakuto nodded, looking satisfied, _"very well..."_

"Arigatou gozaimasu," I said, after a long tiring progress.

_"Take care, Chouko,"_ Kori no Sokubaku kissed me lightly on the forehead, _"Hard times are to come..." _he whispered, before dissappearing.

"Wait!" I call, "What do you mean? What hard times? Kori no Sokubaku!"

Something dawned on me...oh no...we were here for so long. Ichigo couldn't be dead, could he? I was back on the sidewalk, and Ichigo was in my arms, the hollow had dissappeared. "Ichigo!" I buried my face into his chest, "Ichigo..." why couldn't I save him? Kuso!

"..Chouko...CHOUKO...Chouko...CHOUKO!"

I opened my eyes to find Ichigo staring up at me with a concerned look on his face, "I~chi~go?"

"Yo." he smoothed my hair with one hand, and I realized he had been holding me in his arms, "You okay?"

"Um yeah," I blushed, remembering my dream, "Uh, bad dream, sorry..."

"Sometimes it helps to tell someone about it." I wanted to, but.. "Was I in it?"

"EH?!"

"Well," Ichigo frowned as if in deep thought, "You were calling out my name while you were crying in your sleep."

"I was?!" He nodded. "oh.."

He looked down at me, his chocolate eyes serious, "Are you nervous?" I tensed, did he know about the 'dark times' Kori no Sokubaku had mentioned? "Bout tomorrow, high school, stuff like that."

"Well," I thought about it a little, "Yeah. But I'll be okay, plus, if anything happens I'll just blame it on you, okay?" He looked at me as if he was saying _What kind of excuse is that?_ I looked down and said in a small voice, "Thank you, though, Ichigo."

"Ha ha!" He says, leaning close with a smug face, "You just said thank you. And Rangiku told me you never thanked people!"

"Well I don't!"

"Oh really?"

"Usually I don't! This is DIFFERENT!"

"..."

"Nevermind, just go sleep!"

"tch, 'kay, I'll see you in the morning."

A few days pass, and I found high school a little interesting. The most hilarious part was when Tatsuki started teasing Orihime 'bout how she was sweet on Ishida. I wonder what would happen if I told Ichigo I loved him...

**ICHIGO'S POV**

Chouko...

"KUSO!" I said outloud, "I'm suppose to be doing math, MATH." but my thoughts strayed back to her...what would she say if I confessed? I mean, Renji already knows, and dad has pretty good instincts although this time he was sane enough to not tease me about it...

ARG! I'm going to tell her tomorrow, I think firmly, I will. And so, satisfying myself with that, I went back to doing my homework.

TO BE CONTINUED...

**Author's Note:**

**In case if this part wasn't clear, yes, Chouko achieved bankai. While Ichigo was holding her in his arms. XD**

**PLEASE REVIEW! IS THIS TOO CHEEZY?**


	6. Chapter 5: A bit of Bankai Training

**HI GUYS! THANK YOU FOR READING THIS CHAPTER, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL ALL STAY WITH THIS UNTIL IT'S FINISHED!**

**Chouko's POV:**

It's school time...ugh...I rolled over and snuggled deeper into Ichigo's sheets...did I have to get up now? I didn't even get enough sleep! I imagined Nee-san slamming her zanpakuto on the alarm, and screaming "Urusai!", but of course, I couldn't do that. Plus, the alarm was kinda tiny, and it was pretty cute too, with the little bear on it! Kya! Looking over, I realized Ichigo wasn't there. Downstairs, I heard the usual "Good morning Ichi~go!" followed by the usual crash.

Time to wake up.

******** "Now everyone," said Chappy-sensei, "You're homework."

"..." I sat there while everyone got up to hand in theirs. Then we go back to looking over the questions Chappy-sensei gave us.

"Masumoto-san?" says Chappy-sensei, frowning, "You're homework?"

"Ano...I don't have it."

"Not again!" Chappy-sensei turns into a firetruck, and blares her sirens, "MASUMOTO CHOUKO, YOU'RE TO GO OUTSIDE UNTIL YOU FINISH! OUT, IN THE HALLS WHERE I CANNOT SEE YOU, NOW!"

I frown, and thought about it, "I don't believe you should be leaving your student unsupervised, Oturan-sensei."

She frowns, "Insolence is untolerated. OUT."

"Ano..." _Oh no, here I go. Stop it, Chouko. Loosing your temper just 'cause you didn't sleep well is NOT a good thing to do. No Chouko, be nice, like usual, when you don't have such a quick temper._ Shoot. " Oturan-sensei," I say sweetly, "We should not disturbed the other students when they're studying. Their education is very important, yes?"

Oturan Chappy-sensei goes on a long rambling lecture and I tune her out, thinking 'bout Nee-san and the sake parties she was having at home..and sleep...

"Why can't you learn from ICHIGO and hand in your homework?"

_That_ jerked me out of my day dream. Across from me, Ichigo smirked at me and I glowered at him. That was so unfair. Of all people, sensei had to compare me to Ichigo, eh? My hand inched to my zanpakuto and wouldn've whipped it out and sent Chappy-sensei to the soul society right then if Ichigo hadn't slammed my hand with his textbook.

"Here, Chouko, you can use my textbook."

"..."

"C'mon, calm down!" Ichigo whispers quietly, "Quit making a-" "HOLLOW HOLLOW HOLLOW!"

"I'm not making hollows..." _Dammit, what was wrong with me today?_ "So urusai!"

Ichigo stares at me in suprise, I was never like this usually. "I'm not sure what's wrong, Chouko, but we'll talk 'bout it after, kay? That's my substitute shinigami badge, I'll be right back."

I sigh, "No, let me go." I say, thinking 'bout my new found bankai and my temper, "I need the practice." That part was true, I wasn't going to use my bankai for the first time infront of Ichigo. I had embarrassed myself enough already in class, and I needed to unleash my anger at _something._ _You can destroy a hollow properly_ now, says Kori no Sokubaku with a satisfied nod, _lets go and check it_ out!

"You'll never be able to get out of here-"

"Yeah I will," I winked at him, "But you stay here, okay?"

"..." Ichigo frowned, "What if you get hurt?"

I shook my head, knowing that he was thinking about my weak reliatsu, "I'll be fine. now watch." I looked up at Chappy-sensei, "Sensei, I apologize for loosing my temper. I will go outside and complete my homework in the bathroom as to not disturb any students passing by." Without another word, I stood up and went outside.

A few days later...

It was afterschool and I really needed to unwind today. So many days without getting proper sleep was really NOT a good thing. I didn't know how Ichigo kept up with it. On the bright side, I was starting to get a bit better and familiar with my bankai now. Picking up my stuff, I turn to Ichigo: "Um, you go ahead today, 'kay?"

"?"

"You don't need to walk me home," I say, "I'm going to stay afterschool at the library for a while. Or maybe somewhere else, a random class, I'm not sure."

Ichigo shakes his head, "It's okay, I'll wait for you."

I give him a smile and feel a flicker of happiness inside, "I can take care of myself. I won't come home late, don't worry."With that, I skipped out of homeroom, and downstairs.

"Ah! All done!" I get up from my seat, and bow to the librarian, "Arigatou gozaimasu for letting me stay a bit afterschool, sensei."

She smiled, "You're welcome to visit anytime, Masumoto-san."

I picked up my bag and was walking to Ichigo's house, when I was blocked by a crowed of really tall dudes that went to my school...I think...

"Tch, so this is the pretty little lady that walks home with Kurosaki," He sneeres in my face, "Your prince charming isn't here to save you."

There it was again. The terror-_Chouko. You will improve. Now, don't be afraid, okay? Kori no Sokubaku? You're not alone, follow your instincs. You weren't the best at hand-to-hand combat, but I know you can do this. Stick up for yourself, Chouko! Hai, arigatou gozaimasu, Kori. _I take a deep breath, raise my fist and punch his face, which concaves, "Don't spit on me."

He glared at me and screams, "YOU'LL GET IT, PUNK!"

I felt a leap of fear penetrate my calm barrier again as they all launched themselves towards me, but my fear vanishes when they're all knocked down. When the dust clears, I saw Ichigo standing there.

"You okay?" He asks.

"Yeah," I look down and blush, he was leaning so close...giving him a peck on the cheek, I whisper, "Thanks Ichigo."

**Ichigo's POV**

*a few days later*

"Ichigo my son I'm so proud of you!"

I jump to the side and narrowly avoids the big bear hug my dad was about to give me.

"Ichigo I love you!" says a voice.

I turn around wondering who it was since it didn't sound like Chouko and I'm bowled over by two squishy things. I look up and see Rangiku, "TOOO CLOSE, WAY TOO CLOSE!"

"Thank you for making Chouko-chanchan happy!" She says, pink in the face, "YAY! Chouko-chanchan, congrats!" Rangiku yells to no one in particular.

"Ano..did you drink sake before you came?" says a voice near the door frame.

"Chouko-chanchan, there you are!" Rangiku jumps up, her u-know-whats slapping my face, and went to embrace Chouko who was standing in the doorway. Rangiku bends down and pokes Chouko in the chest, and she yelps in suprise. "Tsk, Chouko-chanchan, you're not growing..." says Rangiku, pouting, "Ichigo! It's all ur fault!"

"W-waht do u mean it's all my fault?"

Rangiku gives me a u-know-what punch, "Don't act stupid!'I stare back with a confused look. Rangiku shakes her head and gives me a seven-worded explanation, "U MADE CHOUKO-CHANCHAN GROW UP TOO FAST!"

"WHAT?"

"Anyways," says Rangiku, changing the subject all at once, "Shiro-kun finally gave up and let me have a whole week off to spend with you guys during Christmas! HEHEHEHE"

Chouko frowns and looks uncertain, "Are you sure you're not here for an entirely different reason?" Rangiku shakes her head but Chouko doesn't look convinced. Huh.

Rangiku smiles, "It's okay, right Ichigo?"

"..." I sighed, "Well, as long as no one else is coming..."

"Oh, about that," Rangiku smiles at me again, "I invited a few guests, heh heh. "

As if on cue, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumachika, Yachiru, Kenpachi, Urahara, Yoruichi, Byakuya, Soifon, Nanao and Shunsui pop in through my newly fixed skylight.

"THIS IS A FEW?"

**Chouko's POV:**

I watch as Ichigo freaks out over the large amount of guests that pour in through his skylight. Hey, it might be bizzarr to see the sky raining animals, but not soul reapers...I couldn't help but giggle, and Ichigo turns to me with anger veins popping out,

"YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?"

"Well," I thought for a moment, "Your reaction is the funniest."

"WHAT?"

I sighed and gave him a pat on the back, "Just calm down." Although I did feel a little bad for Ichigo, sometimes Nee-san's suprises weren't exactly very..um... _Nice and appreciated because of the format it comes in? Yep._

"Calm down? You think I'm the one that needs to calm down?" I try to muffle my laughter but another giggle escapes as Ichigo freaks out about the 'guests' that popped in. Ichigo turns around and glares at me, and I laugh even more.

**THIRD PERSON POV**

"Aw..." Rangiku says, nudging Hisagi, "Take a picture for the women's association, okay?"

Hisagi nods and points the camera at Chouko and Ichigo, and a picture flashes. He tucks the camera back up his sleeve before either of them two noticed.

**Chouko's POV**

"Hey," I say suddenly, going serious, "Did you just see a flash?" I thought for a moment back to the warning Kori no Sokubaku had given me the last time I entered my inner world. If Nee-san was being serious, then the Serentei probably doesn't know that there was trouble brewing. But my zanpakuto wasn't telling me anything! WHAT IF THAT FLASH WAS FROM A CERO? Zut. _Kori no Sokubaku, what was that flash? If it was a cero, you'd tell me right? Dammit, why won't you say anything?! I don't want what happened to Raki-kun to happen to anyone here! _

Ichigo nodded, "Seems like it was from a camera..." A camera? Okay, no idea what that is, but it doesn't sound dangerous...

"W-well I didn't see it!" Hisagi popps out of nowhere, "It must've been the sunlight!"

"HISAGI?" Ichigo screams, "NOOOOOOO NOT ANOTHER!"

"Yo Ichigo," Renji slaps him on the back, his eyebrows frowning, "We're all hungry. Be a good host and get the food." He flexes his arms for a moment, and his tatoos seem to grow.

"And sake!" Rangiku giggles.

"No," said Ichigo and I in unision. Sake was something I was COMPLETELY AGAINST, after Rangiku's too many hangovers.

"This is something I completely agree with," says Yumachika, brushing off an inexistant speck of dust on his cheek, "I would not like to keep my eyes shut throughout the whole evening."

I cocked my head in confusion, "Why would you need to keep your eyes shut throughout the evening?"

"Because," Yumachika points at Nee-san, "I refuse to look at ugly things. Rangiku is not beautiful when she is drunk."

"WHAT?"The pillow Rangiku throws smacks Ichigo right on the head.

"WHY DID U HIT ME?" Ichigo yells.

"YUMACHIKA JUST CALLED ME OLD AND IT'S UR FAULT CAUSE U INVITED HIM!"

"NEE-SAN! CALM DOWN!" I say, pulling on her arm to make sure she didn't pounce on Ichigo, "You are kinda...uh,...crazy when u drink..."

"NOO," Rangiku says, crying, " UR TAKING UR BF'S SIDE NOW AND ABANDONING UR DARLING SISTER!"

"ICHIGO IS NOT MY BF! WE'RE NOT GOING OUT!"

"BUT U LOVE HIM DON'T U?"

"WELL, YES I LOVE HIM BUT-" I suddenly clamped my hand over my mouth, horrified at what I had just said.

Sneeking a glance at Ichigo, I noticed he was also bright red.

Awkward silence.

I look out the window and see white things floating down outside. _Kori no Sokubaku, help me out here, please! _

_No. _

_Why? Can't you tell I'm worried? Why can't you give me a hint about what you meant by "Dark Times?"_

_Sigh. I don't know either, but it's my zanpakuto instincts._

_THAT DOESN'T HELP! Oh, why can't you say something useful for once? _

_...Snow is harmless. And don't worry about what you said just now. I think Kurosaki Ichigo thinks the same way._

_Really? _I thought, feeling a bit of hope.

_You should focus on training, NOT A BOY! _

_I know..duty first, right? Oh, and Kori no Sokubaku, I need to talk to you 'bout what happened with the hollow yesterday._

_Alright, but later. I'll drag you here when I think you're ready._

Everyone follows my gaze to the outside.

Rangiku looks at everyone, unsure of why we all went quiet.

"It's snowing, isn't it?"

...To be continued

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**PLZ REVIEW!**


	7. Chapter 6: Lovely Couples

**HIYA EVERYONE! THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO READ THIS! I HOPE YOU'LL ALL CONTINUE 'TILL THE END!**

**I'M SORRY, I KNOW THIS ONE IS REALLY SHORT, BUT I'LL UPDATE SOON, 'KAY? IT'S A PROMISE**!

Ichigo's POV:

We watched the snow fall for a while, and then I looked at Chouko.

"I love you too."

Chouko stares at me uncomprehendingly, "...Really?"

I nod.

"HOORAY A HAPPY ENDING!" screams Rangiku as something flashes again.

Renji gives me a wink, "Now u can spend a whole week with Chouko, eh?"

Chouko's POV:

Ichigo loves me too, Ichigo loves me too-KYA~3

Just then, a crash was heard from downstairs.

"Ichigo, was that your dad?"

He shook his head, "Dad went out with Yuzu and Karin. They'll be back in a few days."

"In that case," says Yachiru popping out behind Kenpachi, "It must be a hollow!" her eyes gleam in happiness and she tugs on Kenpachi's sleeve, "Ken-chan, lets go!"

"Don't demolish my house!" Ichigo hollers after them.

Byakuya sighes, "Why did I even come?"

This was met with a light jab from Soifon's Suzumebachi, "Lighten up, Byakuya. Yoruichi-sama, I hope you are enjoying this so far?"

"Hey, Yoruichi," I said, turning around in suprise, "You're out of your cat form."

"Yoruichi-SAMA!" Soi fon practically blew apart my eardrums.

"Soifon, composure," said Byakuya.

Soifon wipps around her head and glares at him, but I notice a tint of pink on her cheeks. Byakuya smirks at her in response. Was there something going on between them?

"Aw, little bee," Yoruichi cooed at her, reminding me instantly of Rangiku teasing me about Ichigo, "Did you find yourself a~"

Another crash was heard downstairs.

"Kuso," mutters Ichigo, standing up, "I better go down and make sure they really didn't destroy the house. "

I laughed and got up as well, "I'm coming with you."

"?"

"To make sure you don't fall on your sorry but."

"WHAT?" Ichigo started to splutter again in anger.

Urahara snapped his fan shut, " I shall go too. You may need my manly skills."

"..."

In the end, all of us went downstairs, and gawped at the sight. Kenpachi and Yachiru were nowhere to be scene, they probably accidentally went out the front door and got lost somewhere. Sitting awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs was Ikkaku, with Yumachika standing a few feet away, checking his handmirror.

"That fall," said Yumachika with a sniff, "Those falls, were very un-beautiful."

"Why can't you just shurrap about beauty ?!" yells Ikkaku, a new bump formed on his head, "You could've at least called for help!"

"I did," said Yumachika, dabbing a little bit of powder on Ikkaku. He yelled and tried to punch Yumachika,

but fell over instead. Yumachika shrugged nonchalantly, "But I didn't think you'd appreciat it."

"Ikkaku," says Rangiku running over to him. She bends over and her you-know-whats practically fall out of her clothes, "What in the world were you doing?! If you fell any harder the floorboards might've broke and their fall might've broke the Christmas decor in the basement!" With every word, her you-know-whats bounce to emphasize her meaning.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Hisagi staring at my sister, and I aimed my zanpakuto-sheathed- between his legs, "Don't stare at my sister, you pervert!"

"I-I'm not!" Hisagi protests while bending over. Liar. He already had a slight nosebleed.

Byakuya turns to Ikkaku and says, "What were you doing?"

Ikkaku scratches his head, "Well, I wanted to come downstairs to get the decor for the Christmas party, but then..." He trailed off and gestured to the stairs.

"Well," says Shunsui, pulling out two bottles of sake, "Lets celebrate your recovery, shall we?" Nanao's book landed neatly on the side of his head. "Nanao, love, don't be angry, you can celebrate too!"

"I. Am. Not. Your. Love!" says Nanao, emphasizing every word with a smack on Shunsui's head with her book.

"Ah," Urahara sighs, looking at Yoruichi, "Lovely couple, but not as good as us, Yoruichi."

"It's YORUICHI-SAMA!" Soifon yells, looking annoyed, "Learn some manners before you marry her, Urahara!"

Renji suddenly shoves Byakuya whom would've fallen into Soifon if not for his epic balance. "Renji..."

"G-gomen, Captain."

Hisagi, still lost in love land, stares at Soifon with large eyes, "You're really pretty too, you know?"

Soifon was about to punch him in the face, but Byakuya was quicker, "Scatter, Senbonzakura."

"..." the rest of us sweatdropped.

"Well," I said, turning to Rangiku, "We can't exactly have the party here, can we, Nee-san?"

Rangiku giggled, "Don't worry, we're having it at a really grand place! Banquet hall! And since there's so many lovebirds, we're going to set up a mistltoe too!"

"..."

"Hey," Ichigo whispered in my ear, "Would it uh, be okay, if um,"

"?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

I frown, "That wasn't very romantic."

Ichigo looses it, "**Sorry okay that was my first time anyways** pleasesayyescauseiloveuandiknowthissoundsreallyche ezy..."

I glare at him, and he kisses me on the lips in response. "Ichigo!"

"So," he says, breaking it with a smile, "What do you say?"

I smile too, "Of course, silly."

_I told you to stop focusing on the boy. You need to prepare forwhat is going to come._

I silently glare at my zanpakuto in response, _thanks for ruining the whole moment, Kori no Sokubaku.._

To be continued...

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**I'LL UPDATE SOON, PROMISE!**


	8. Chpter 7: Distraction from the Future

**THIS IS EVEN SHORTER, I'M SORRY!**

Chouko's POV

_This is...kinda crazy..._ I think as I look around the banquet hall. It wasn't even a banquet hall anymore. There were balloons flying everywhere, and bits of balloon pieces on the floor due to Kenpachi wanting to spar with Ichigo when the room was half-decorated. Today, everyone was growing restless and impatient after waiting a long time for this 'party' to start, and Nee-san was nowhere to be found. How do we start a party without a host? Even if it was winter, the room was really stuffy. I was doing my personal best to stand in the mist of the heavy layer of annoyed reliatsu...

"HIYA EVERYONE SOOOO GLAD U COULD MAKE IT!" Nee-san pops out of the crowd, "WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL-"

"But not as beautiful as me," says Yumachika, flipping his hair, admiring himself in a mirror we decided to set up in the mirror after a long debate between Yumachika and Ikkaku.

Rangiku gave him a death glare for interrupting her before continuing, "BANQUET PARTY HALL! We have also invited Ichigo's friends Uryu and Orihime! Everyone is here, that is, except for...Kenpachi and Yachiru..." She trails off when she finally realized they were missing.

Uryu pushed up his glasses, "They must be still lost somewhere in Kakura town."

Orihime tightens her grip on Uryu's arm and puts on her worried look, "Oh, Uryu, I hope they're okay..."

"ANYWAYS, " says Ichigo, "LETS START NOW! WE'VE BEEN STANDING HERE FOR 2 HOURS!"

Everyone was about to agree when the door creaked open and in came a dark and shadowed figure...

"Yo." Kenpachi towers over everyone, "Sorry we're late."

"Ne, Ken-chan," Yachiru pouts, "Itchy wanted to party without us!"

"..." Kenpachi glares at Ichigo and I feel my legs start to quiver from the addition of his reliatsu that was also growing stronger due to his annoyance. Uh oh.

Yachiru starts to half-cry, "Ken-chan, Itchy is so-"

Panicking, I dug my hand underneath the tablecloth of the table nearest to me that held leftovers. I quickly handed Ichigo some bags of leftover candy that had not fitted into the enormous bowl on the table, and he shoves it all in Yachiru's outstretched arms.

Yachiru's face brightens instantly, "AWESOME!"

"..." The rest of us sweatdrop as we watch the vice-captain of the 11th squad hug the bag of candy in pure delight as if it was a teddy bear. ~SILENCE~

"Chouko-chanchan," Rangiku nudges me, "Some help please?" When I didn't respond, Rangiku gestured frantically to the solemn and quite crowd of Shinigamis, "To get the party started!"

"No, Nee-san..you know how bad I am at stuff like this," I said, biting the bottom of my lip.

"C'mon Chouko-chanchan, just once?" says Rangiku. Suddenly, a gleam goes into her eyes and she pokes me in the chest and sighs loudly, and everyone's head turns to us, "Oh, Chouko-chanchan, one day you shall have watermelons like me, and Ichigo will fall in love with you all over again!"

"Eh?!" says Ichigo, "I don't look for things like that in women!"

"Oh really?" Rangiku leans over, inches away from Ichigo's face, practically shoving her chest into Ichigo...

"Nee-san!" I cry, trying to break them apart, "Kuroso-I mean, Ichigo, isn't a pervert!"

"Well I know, but I'll continue unless you start the party, Chouko-chanchan!" _Nee-san, that's blackmail... __**So what? Chouko, I wish you'd stop being embarrassed and nervous. Go! **__I can't do this... Chouko, you said you'd try your best to get better... I didn't mean like this! I meant I'd get better at fighting! You need to get better at this too! Look at you! Not yet, I'm not ready yet... Start the party, Chouko._ With that, my zanpakuto left me. Darn it, what was I going to do?

Admist the crowd of Shinigamis, I spotted Shunsui, my captain, and beggs him silently for help. He nods but touches his hat, the silent code that meant 'You're going to need to do some paperwork to make up for it'. I was desperate now, so I nodded."Nanao-chan!" He says, pulling Nanao by her arm, "Come lets dance, shall we?"

An anger vein popped out and Nanao raises her book, ready to wack him on the head. Shunsui grabs hold of her wrist, and gives her a kiss on her hand.

"Now, Nanao-chan, it's Christmas! Come give me a dance!"Nanao blushes but lets Shunsui drag her onto the dance floor. Music starts blaring and they dance. Urahara leaps there too, dragging Yoruichi to stop her from going into her cat form, and soon Rangiku has convinced Yumachika and Ikkaku to go down and show their manliness in dancing (-.-'). Soon there were shouts for sake, and Yachiru was playfully bouncing up and down while occasionally popping a candy in her mouth...

Ichigo nudges me and looks over to where Byakuya and Soifon were.

They stood, staring at the mad jumble of Shinigamis on the what once-looked-big-but-now-looked-too-small dance floor. Byakuya seemed emotionless as usual, but Soifon looked downright uncomfortable. '...' Soifon pinches him, "Aren't you going to ask me to dance, Bya-ku-ya?"

"..." Byakuya stares coldly at the jumble of dancers, "It is undignified to dance here...do you really want to?" Soifon looks away, which Byakuya interprets as a yes, "Outside."Soifon nods, and they leave through the door.

Ichigo and I turn back and observe the dance floor for a while. Ikkaku was doing the birdie while Yumachika was screaming at him how the dance move was un-beautiful. Rangiku gives Yumachika a punch with her chest and screams that at least Ikkaku was being a man 'cause he was dancing. Urahara and Yoruichi are dancing randomly while laughing, and Hisagi was staring at Rangiku a little too much...I felt a prick of annoyance at the pervert, just wait 'till after Christmas...

"So..." Ichigo holds out his hand, "Will you dance with me?"

I look down at my feet, "Ano, I don't know, Ichigo..." my voice trails off and I blush, embarrassed, "I-I don't really know how to dance..."

Ichigo shrugs, "It doesn't matter, it's easy, I'll show you. The real question is, do you want to?"

"Well, yes, but...I really don't know how to-" I'm cut off with a gasp of suprise as Ichigo grabs my waist and twirls me across the dance floor.

_Chouko, you're getting distracted... _

I frown, _Kori no Sokubaku, you appear now of all places, eh?_

_I told you, dark times are coming. This is not the time-_

_I'm happy now, happier then before. Why must you interfere? You don't know anything about love! _

_I know you love him, Chouko. I just don't know if it will work out. He's a substitue shinigami, he stays in the human world. You will have to return to the Serentei afterwards, and what will you do then? _

_I don't care. I'm happy, and he loves me and I love him. You said that yourself. So it will work out. _

_Don't lie. I can sense that spark of doubt inside you. _

_Stop it, Kori no Sokubaku. This is Christmas, and I want to be happy, why can't you just leave me to be? _

_Fine. Fine. Whatever then, but don't say I didn't warn you. Don't forget, dark times are coming. _

_It's always Dark times this, and dark times that. Why can't you just stop being such a worry-wort and tell me what it is?_

"Chouko, are you alright," asks Ichigo, looking at me closely, "You were, uh...frowning..."

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine! Dancing is actually kind of fun, eh?"

"Well yeah," Ichigo grimances, "Until you step on my foot..."

"Ah, sorry!"

TO BE CONTINUED:

**AUTHOR"S NOTE**

**Hehe, hope you like it so far! Please stay with me, until I finish this! PLEASE REVIEW BECAUSE I DO WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS HORRIBLE RIGHT NOW, SO THAT I CAN MAKE IT BETTER!**


	9. Chapter 8: Technical Difficulty

**HELLO EVERYONE, I JUST WANT TO THANK MY GUEST REVIEWS FOR TELLING ME TO MAKE SOME CORRECTIONS. OKAY, I ADMIT IT, AT FIRST, I WAS LIKE 'BUT I LIKE THE WAY MY CHARACTER IS NOW!' BUT THEN I READ OVER MY PREVIOUS CHAPTERS AND YEAH THEY WERE REALLY BAD SO I WENT BACK AND CHANGED SOME OF THEM AND NOW HERE'S AN UPDATE!**

Chouko's POV:

Ichigo guids my footsteps slowly, and soon I feel just a little bit more confident. A little. The song plays, but I'm more focused on my footing then having fun._ I just don't want to mess up_, I think to myself as I stare at my two feet, _and this is easier than talking to someone...I'm doing pretty good, aren't I, Kori?_ No answer. Sigh. I guess he was still sulking, although I suppose what I had said to him hurt his feelings...I'd have to go into my inner world soon and apologize.

Song after song plays, and I lose track of how long Ichigo and I had danced together. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of messing up. Finally, out of breath, I stumble and nearly step on Ichigo. He catches me before I fell and I looked away in embarrassement, "Ah, sorry!"

"Tired?" Ichigo smirks, "If you want, we can sit down." He gestures over to the chairs, where Yachiru was already asleep.

I frown, about to say something to save my pride, when I spotted a stuffed little ladybug sitting on one of the chairs. KYA! SO ADORABLE! HEHEHEHEHEHE "Yay! Lets go and sit down, Ichigo!" I said, bouncing up and down happily. Ichigo stares at me, looking beweildered, but I ignore him. Lunging over, I grab his arm and was so close to dragging him off the dance floor when I was suffocated by some Shinigami's hug.

"Nee-san.." I manage to gasp out, "I...can't ...breathe..."

"Don't worry!" Rangiku tightens her grip and smiles at me in a wickedly cheerful way, "If you pass out I'll just ask your Ichigo to give you a mouth-to-mouth CPR!"

"NEE-SAN?!" the pitch of my voice rises, and Rangiku lets go, holding her ears.

"Ow.." She sways a little, her face suddenly turning a bit green-ish pale, "Chouko-chanchan's screams aren't very good combined with sake..."

Uh oh. Usually when Rangiku was in this state, it meant... "Nee-san," I say, afraid of her answer, "How much did you drink?"

"Ano," Nee-san says, tapping her chin, "One...I think..." She snaps out of her daze and leaps high in the air, "WELL IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, CHOUKO-CHANCHAN. A PARTY ISN'T A PARTY WITHOUT SAKE, AND, IN YOUR CASE, ICHIGO!" Then Rangiku spins around and prepares herself to runs off to tease Ikkaku about his manliness while being bald, but collapsed instead, "Owie..." I sigh in exasperation and pick her up, with Ichigo's help. Together, we carry her over to one of the chairs and help her lie down. "Ah, that feels better, ariga-" Rangiku waves her hand around randomly, and hits the poor ladybug that would've fell on the floor if I hadn't caught it,

"Nee-san!" I scream, cuddling the stuffed toy, "You're so mean! I don't even know why you drink sake if you're just going to hurt this cute and innocent ladybug. What did it ever do to you?" Ichigo takes it from me and swings it around like a ball. I wack Ichigo lightly on the arm, "ICHIGO! STOP BEING SO ROUGH TOWARDS IT!"

Ichigo hands it back to me, "It's just a stuffed toy, you know," he watched as I hugged it close to my chest, "You know, I'm kind of sad, you wouldn't mind hurting me, but when it comes to this little ladybug.." Ichigo puts on his sad face, "You love that ladybug more than you love me, eh?"

"That's not true! It's just that, the ladybug doesn't have anybody that cares 'bout it!" I pause, "Plus, both you and I are more fortunate than it," When Ichigo simply raises his eyebrows, I continue, "'Cause you have me and I have you-" I clamp my hand over my mouth, "P-Pretend you didn't hear that."

Ichigo grins, "But I did."

Feeling a rush of embarrassement, nerves, and something else I couldn't describe, I widen my eyes in innocence, "Nope, what did I say?"

"You said-"

"Yoruichi, come back here with my hat!" screams Urahara in a playful way as he chases Yoruichi around. Urahara crashes into Ichigo, sending him flying into me. Suddenly, Yoruichi dissappears, and a cat holding a hat in his jaws appears instead, then the cat dissappears too. "NO!" Urahara moans, "It's not fair, I'm going to spend ages looking for you..." But Urahara goes looking for the kitty anyways.

I look down onto Ichigo's face that was lying in my lap and I poke him in the face, "Ano, you okay, Ichigo?"

"Sorry 'bout that, " says Ichigo, straightening up. Two seconds later, a book is smashed on top of Ichigo's head. Ouch. Wait a minute, there was a pink kimono-what? Ichigo did not wear a pink kimono...

"Please, Nanao-chan, don't be mad," whimpers Shunsui, cowering beneath Ichigo. His arms wrap around Ichigo's ankles and he ignore's Ichigo's protests to let him go.

"C-captain Kyoraku!" I said, "Ise-Fukotaichou!"

"Nanao acknowledges me with a nod, and pushes up her glasses, "Chouko. Do. Not. Let. Our. Captain. Get. Away."

"O-okay," I said, grabbing hold of Shunsui's kimono, which earns me a burst of laughter.

"Oh, Chouko, " says Shunsui, grinning, "You're too nice. If you grab only my kimono, I'll just have to strip-" That comment earned him another smack on the head. "Ah, Nanao-chan, " Shunsui half passes out on the floor, arms stretched out in a fail attempt to hug Nanao, "You're so mean..."

"Lets go," says Nanao, pulling him up, "That's enough sake for you tonight."

"But Nanao-chan..." Shunsui keeps on begging Nanao for more sake as she led him away.

"...I hope we're not like that," I whisper, half to myself.

"Come," says Ichigo, taking hold of my arm, "Lets go to the door."

"The door?" I cock my head in suprise,"You want to leave now?"

"Just outside, for some privacy," Ichigo gives me a tug, "You'll like it, don't worry."He opens the door and we step out. Snow was swirling through the air, and I, out of habit, stick my tongue out and catch a beautiful snowflake. Ichigo laughs and I blush in embarrassement, but I felt kind of happy too. Ichigo...the scenery was beautiful.

"Look up," says Ichigo. I look.

A mistletoe. Ah-

Something warm touches my lips, and next thing I knew, Ichigo was kissing me. Suprised, I stumble back, and Ichigo stops and lets go, "Sorry..I guess that was a bit-" I shake my head, lean into his chest and kissed him back...

"No," I shake my head, embarrassed again, "It's just...that's my first and, well, I was just suprised..." I trail off as Ichigo leans close to me again-

Suddenly something shoots out of the air, and Ichigo sweeps me into his arms and shunpo's away.

"Sorry to disrupt you two lovely love birds," says a voice, "But it is time for me to give you a little, ah, Christmas present."

The snow cleared, and there he stood, the electric-blue-haired number 6 espada that we had faced a few days ago. Turns out, he had ran away with the wound Ichigo had given him. Except, something was different. The espada was in his release form.

I pop a pill in my mouth and fall out of my gigai. Ichigo catches it and looks at me, "No! Chouko, I'll go-" A splitting sound was heard from above, as several Menos Grande started to crawl out.

I take a deep breath and will my voice not to tremble, "No, Ichigo. I need you to take care of my gigai and those. I'll be fine."

Ichigo shakes his head.

I sigh and say the best lie I could come up with, "I'll be fine. And the faster you finish up your share, the faster you can come back." Who was I kidding? An inexperienced Shinigami like me with a weak...oh well, I could at least hold back Grimmjow for a while until Ichigo gets back, right?

The espada lunges at me, and I unsheath my zanpakuto, "Bankai. Fly, Toketsu Sori no Sokubaku." Except, nothing happened. My zanpakuto stayed in it's regular form. Wha-

"*chuckle* looks like we have quite an uneven battle," sneers Grimmjow.

To be continued...

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

PLEASE STAY WITH THIS FANFIC 'TIL IT'S FINISHED! AND PLEASE REVIEW, I'M NOT SURE IF CHOUKO'S PERSONALITY IS OKAY...


	10. Chapter 9: It was you?

**HEY GUYS, HERE'S CHAPTER 9!**

Chouko's POV

Great. Now here I was, all alone, facing this Espada, with only my bankai to help. Now even my bankai wasn't working, I was really alone. Correction: I was not alone, because my zanpakuto was with me. But unfortunately, it wasn't responding, so technically it didn't count...Darn it, why did Ichigo have to leave?

Me alone here with this Espada, is this how it all ends? Grimmjow lunges at me, and I wince, remembering how last time Ichigo had thrown me out of the way. No throwing me out of the way this time... I know this is cowardy, Kori no Sokubaku, so don't be mad at me, I think as I balance my weight lightly on my toes and I wait for Grimmjow to get closer, I'm going to have to duck... At the last moment, I propel myself upwards and leap, Grimmjow falls to the ground, but swerved at the last moment.

"You're not getting away, pretty girlie," He says, his grin growing wider and wider, as he opens his mouth. Cero. Kuso, I manage to think before the cero hits me, full blast. I pick myself up and tried to catch my breath. "Like my cero, pretty girlie?"

Ow. My chest hurts...I 'm panting now, gasping for breath. My bankai...it's not coming. Why? Did I not achieve it? Wait, no, can't let my mind get messed up. I did, I used it on some hollows before this, so why is it not working now? Dammit! Kori no Sokubaku, where are you? I feel the Espada's reliatsu rise again, and I know instantly he's going to try and escape. He knows I will run, and when I do, he'll go looking for Ichigo. I can't let him hurt Ichigo. No one will get hurt, not when I can stop it. I focus my gaze on the number 6 tattoo on him, and force my fear to calm down. I won't run. If I do, he'll go after Ichigo. And then it will be Raki-kun's incident all over again. So I can't run. I. Must. Hold. My. Ground.

He raises his arms, and his eyes widen in suprise as he sees that I'm still standing in his way. Raising my zanpakuto, I block his arm, but I couldn't cut it. Why? He's not Kenpachi, and I was a third seat. C'mon, Chouko, I think to myself, raise your reliatsu! I block his arm over and over again, but I just couldn't cut him. Why? Darn it! IF I DON'T CUT HIM ICHIGO'S GONNA GET HURT! Shunk. My blade sank into his arm, and that's when I notice it. White. A white-gloved hand.

Cold sweat drips down my neck, and my zanpakuto stops. I'm frozen. A white-gloved hand. The image of Raki, a trainee whom I was in charge of on a mission, flashes in my head. His body, drenched with his own blood, was held up by a white gloved hand. This hand... Pain. My legs crumble and I stare at the gaping wound on my chest. Blood. I can't move. The white gloved hand wasn't white anymore, it was red. That's right, this was a red gloved hand, not white.

"Hmph, you're no fun, just like last time and the time before," says Grimmjow, towering over my bleeding form, "Gonna go look for Ichigo now-oh wait, forgot I had to do that."

I stared as he raised his arm, is this how it ends? His hand plunges deep into my chest, deeper than the wound he created before, and I feel my heart being squeezed. my body goes limp and blood is dripping out of my mouth. Kori no Sokubaku...he must've been angry at me. I had wanted to go back into my inner world to apologize to him for me yelling at him, but there was no way I'd be able to do that anymore. Kori, if you're here, if you're listening right now, then I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For yelling at you and, I hope you'll find a new master that's better than me...

Grimmjow lifts me up, and he's saying something, but everything seems slow...I can't breathe, and I try to pull my body away from him. He squeezes my heart tighter. he says something 'bout the last time...that would be when i first fought him with Ichigo...the time before? What? Did we meet before? I gasp in pain. This feeling...I've felt it before...But where?

_Flashback..._

_"Masumoto-sensei!" says Raki, his black curly hair flying as we shunpo through the trees, "Ano, arigatou gozaimasu for taking me with you! I'm greatful you gave me this opportunity to practice!"_

_I shake my head, "J'm no sensei, I'm just plain Chouko." _

_Raki shakes his head, and I notice that he was already panting from the shunpo pace we were going at. Not good, not when we were going to hunt a Menos Grande. Sure, I was a third seat, but he would want to fight too, and in this condition... Raki notices me slowing down my pace and he quickens his, "Iie, you'll always be like a sensei to me. And you don't need to slow down you're pace, I can keep up!" I would've contradicted him, but the brave face on this small child stopped me. If I contradicted now, would I kill his courage? Would he grow up to be a coward like me? I can't le that happen. So I quickened my pace again. "Masumoto-sensei, " says Raki with a smile, "I always wanted to go with a Shinigami on a mission, you know? Everyone else has, but no one would pick me. They said that I was too impulsive. But I'm happy 'cuz you gave me a chance."_

_I nodded, and put a finger on my lips, "Quietly now, I can sense the Menos's spiritual pressure nearby." We near the clearing and I motion for Raki to split up, to follow our plan. He nods, and was about to go, when he stopped. I followed his gaze to the Menos Grande, except it wasn't a Menos. One thing, it didn't have a pointy nose, and it had electric blue hair, with a sneer on it's face. The number six. Shit. I feel Raki's reliatsu rise, and before I could do anything, he charges out to the clearing, where this what'ever it was could see him._

_"You Hollow, you killed my parents and me!" screams Raki, raising his kantana. _

_"Wait Raki," I push him down on the ground, "That's not a zanpakuto. You'll get killed! Stay back, and go find reinforcement, now!" But Raki wasn't listening, and his bit of reliatsu was flying wildly. "Raki!" _I should've stopped him. I really should've. But I didn't. I wasn't fast enough, or strong enough, to stop a anger-filled boy, hungry for revenge.

_I watch in horror as he lunges towards the What'ever it was, debating whether I should go help him or go back and get reinforcement. He seemed to be holding on his own, I thought, calling for reinforcement will only take a moment. But a moment was all it took. Right when I turned my back to them, blood sprayed. Raki, bloodsoaked and limp, was held, by the neck, by a white glove. "Raki! No!" Whipping out Kori no Sokubaku, I charged towards them. At that time, I hadn't learned my shikai yet. In moments, the what'ever-it-was was gripping my heart._

_A few days later, Captain Kyoraku came to visit me in one of the healing dorms in Squad 4, telling me that it was only luck that had brought him coming to our rescue, but _

_Raki was already dead. _

I stared at the Espada before me, with one glove stained red, and the other white. Opening my mouth, my body convulsed and I coughed up blood, "It was you? It was you who killed Raki?"

To be continued...

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**HELLO! THANK YOU FOR READING THIS CHAPTER! I'LL UPDATE SOON, PROMISE!**

**PLEASE REVIEW, EVERYONE!**


	11. Chapter 10: The voice

**HIYA EVERYONE! HEHE I'M SO HAPPY I GOT A CHANCE TO WORK ON THIS CHAPTER THANK YOU FOR READING! PLEASE REVIEW, AND HOPE YOU LIKE IT:**

Chouko's POV

My zanpakuto dangles, my hand gripping it so ever slightly just so it wouldn't fall. Grimmjow frowned at me in pure perplexity, "Who?" then he laughed again in his maniac way, "I've killed too many to remember any of their names, pretty gurlie. But now that you say it, you do seem familiar..."

I open my mouth to tell him when we've met, but another coughing fit seizes me. Tch, by the time this was done, I'd have to go check and see if I was related to Captain Jushiro. Either that, or I was pretty close to dying. Uh oh.

"Tsk tsk," says Grimmjow, "I suppose it would only be fair to let you chose your death. You tell me where we've met and die through the process, or I kill you. But it would be against orders from Sosuke-sama if I don't kill you so-"

"Sosuke-sama?" my eyes widened, "You mean, the former Captain Aizen?"

"Oh no," Grimmjow was about to tell me more but he catches himself, "You're being very notty, trying to fish some info out of me that I'm not suppose to tell. You're gonna die, so really there's no harm in letting ya know, but Sosuke-sama's orders were strict," he laughes and widens his grin, "Just wait here and die like a good soul reaper and maybe you'll get to see ya prince cry over ya, unless if he dies first! Ha ha, oh that's a good one, like as if you can ever save him! A damsel in distress saves her own prince, haha, oh yeah this is soooooooo funny but gotta kill you before i can laugh, haha."

A damsel in distress, eh? Wait, was he referring to Orihime, oh kuso, he was comparing me to Orihime. I fumed, there was no way I was gonna be like orihime, and once again the image of Orihime saying 'Ichigo' pitfully flashed into my head and that was more than I could bear. Gotta stop Grimmjow, I gotta stop him...Dammit Kori no Sokubaku I know you're mad at me but please co-operate with me right now! I don't want Ichigo to die! I glare at Grimmjow, "I. Am. Not. Orihime."

_Then it's about time you stop acting like it, _says a very cross voice that was trembling, _'cause if you die now it'll be all my fault and then who knows what Captain Kyoraku's zanpakuto will do to me... Kori no Sokubaku? Tch, who else could it be? Ano...I'm sorry for yelling at you...Save that for later. You can make it up to me by showing me that you are actually a useful and worthy master by showing that Espada you're full potential. My bankai is a little different. You can only use it when you truly know what you want to do with it. That doesn't really make a lot of sense...Tch, nevermind, shinigamis can never understand the high-quality complexity of a zanpakuto. Alia, what do you want to achieve with the help of my bankai? I want to defeat Grimmjow. I want to help Ichigo. I'm not useless! _I said without hesitation, _but I will need your help, Kori. _I felt my zanpakuto nod and I felt a coldness grip me and my reliatsu blend in with Kori no Sokubaku's.

Grimmjow let go of my neck and grinned, "Now, are you ready to die, little girl?" He, still in his released form, leaped towards me. I frowned, my bankai would work a bit better if I was the one in the air...I shifted on my toes, careful to not move around more than necessary-it wouldn't be a good idea to die of bloodloss- I brace my legs and jumps out of the way at the last moment.

Not fast enough.

Grimmjow's arm catches my left foot and I lose balance in the air. _Kuso. Keep calm, you can do it. _says my zanpakuto and I silently thank him for the useless-but still nice-encouragement. Raising my right leg, I swerve around my upper body and aime for his face. It didn't hurt him, but it was enough to make him let go. Grimmjow chuckles, "So little I'm-not-Orihime can fight back now, can she? Well then...lets go full blast!"

I saw it without Kori no Sokubaku having to warn me that Grimmjow was charging up a cero. _Hey, Kori no Sokubaku, are you ready for bankai? What're you planning? ...I'm not sure if this will work though...aw, Kori no Sokubaku, don't grow so impatient! ...ano...I was thinking..if I can get the timing right, I can probably leap behind him while he's performing cero. He'll be focused on the cero so I can go bankai, and the cero will be aimed at me, so if I'm fast enough, with the combined brightness, it'll be a suprise attack? ...I think it'll work. It'll hurt though, Chouko, I'm warning you._

I shift again, and feign a left shunpo. Grimmjow's mouth opens, and I let my reliatsu flow into my legs, and shunpo behind his back. "Bankai, fly Toketsu Kori no Sokubaku." (frozen ice shackels) Sometimes my zanpakuto reminded me a bit of Captain Hitsugaya's, but it was different on the inside. Ribbons of water silently streamed out and slithered over Grimmjow's limbs. He turns around with a snarl, but was too late. The water froze into chains of shakels that were still attached to the hilt of my zanpakuto.

Landing on the hard floor once more, my vision blurred for a moment. This bankai wasn't going to last very long, not while I was like this...I took a deep breath, _ready to grow, Kori no Sokubaku? Yes... _"Grow, Toketsu Kori no Sokubaku." Grimmjow's eyes bulged but he couldn't utter a word. I felt my body weaken as most of my reliatsu went to my zanpakuto, and ice started to grow inside the Espada. I collapsed to the ground as Grimmjow's whole body turned to ice, and shattered...

_Wait, no, I'm not done yet. I have to go and..help Ichigo..._ I stand up again, and nearly fell over. Crawling over to the nearest wall, I slowly stood up and grasped the wall so that I wouldn't fall down again. Like that, I slowly got closer to where ichigo's reliatsu was flaring wildly. From the sounds, it seemed like he would be finished with the Menos in a few minutes. His reliatsu was suffocating, but I wanted to go and help him...I took another step forwards and someone with a dark cloak appeared infront of me.

"That's not a good idea, Masumoto-san." A unfamiliar reliatsu that reminded me a bit of former Captain Aizen engulfed me and I momentarily blacked out.

This reliatsu...it was suffocating...but it was a bit better now~? I open my eyes and realize I was in the sky, and a piece of the sky was tearing in front of me. dlkfjsekljfsdkfjks what was going on? I twist around, seeing if I could get out of wherever I was, and something tightened against my waist.

A hand. _Darn it, Chouko, you had to let him know you were awake, eh? Kori no Sokubaku? What happened? Remember a cloak? A reliatsu that you thought reminded you a bit of the former Captain Aizen? Oh yeah..._Everything comes flooding back to me in bits and pieces. Wait a minute, was I kidnapped? No. Of course not. But still, a wave of terror surged up inside me and I felt tears prick my eyes. Darn it, Chouko, don't cry! I can't be kidnapped, because unlike Orihime, I'm not a healer, and there's no reason for someone to kidnapp a useless shinigami. And I'm not Orihime.

"Oh dear, my little new found birdie is awake," says a voice behind me. I twist around in vain to get a good look at whomever it was. "You're probably wondering what you're doing here, why I would want a piece of trash like you, and who I am. Well darling birdie, just be a little patient. I promise I'll let you ask those questions as soon as we step in there." No! I though frantically, doing whatever I can to get out of his grasp. Shunk. I gasped as two finges dug into my chest wound that I had recieved from Grimmjow. "Stay still, and I won't hurt you-for now. I do keep my promises, you know."

The hole in the sky engulfs us, and now the voice threw me on a sandy floor. I looked up and gasped. The same jaw line, and the same hair-except his eyes were different. Light grey-so light that at the first glance I would've thought it was white. "F-Former Captain Aizen...?"

"No. I am his brother. And you, my birdie, are, of course, my birdie."

To be continued...

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**YAY! I finished this chapter today! Please review! Did Chouko go a bit out of character again? I'm not sure...What do you think the name for Aizen Sosuke's brother should be?**


	12. Chapter 11: Who are you?

**Here's an update! Please please please review!**

Ichigo's POV

Slashing at the last Menos, I wrap zangetsu back in the bandage-like cover I used, while watching the Menos fall...a spark of reliatsu caught my attention. Okay, so I pretty much failed at detecting reliatsu, but this was powerful and unfamiliar, and it dissappeared almost as soon as it appeared. Huh, I thought, rubbing my eyes a few times with my left arm, guess I was just imagining things.

I wonder if Chouko was okay-OH CLIEJRKSDJFKSDJFKLSJFIEFDKSJF WHAT'M I DOIN' HERE TALKING TO MYSELF! SHE WAS FIGHTING GRIMMJOW, MAN, GOTTA GO AND SEE IF SHE'S OKAY! I turned around and started to shunpo, ignoring my throbbing shoulder when-

Wham. I smashed into someone. Or, well, should I say, I almost smashed into someone, but then they dodged, and I smashed onto the floor. "Ow..." I layed there for a few seconds, realizing that I had just re-opened the just-starting-to-heal wound on my leg. "Baka" says Zangetsu. "You shut up~" I start to say when I felt a cool blade touch my neck and I instantly rolled out of the way. Thank you instincs for saving me from getting stabbed by-

I looked up, and saw the back of someone sheathing their zanpakuto quickly. "..Chouko?" the figure turned around with a jump and for a moment her eyes were frantic, as if scared that she had been caught doing something bad, before returning to a calm demeanor-What was that?

Then she smiled and looked more like her usual self and I sighed in relief, "Kurosaki-san?" she bends down and touches my shoulder way too hard and my wound splits a bit deeper, "Are you alright? Were you hurt by those lowlives?" Lowlives? What? Oh, she must've ment the Menos Grandes...but when did she start to call them lowlives?

Oh well, I was glad she was safe. "How was the fight with Grimmjow? " I said, "Looks like you made it out alive, eh?" I examined her from head to toe, and was relieved to see that she wasn't wounded. "Lets go to Urahara's place, you look famished."

As if on cue, Chouko's stomach grumbled, and she nods, "You go on ahead, Kurosaki-san," then seeing my questioning gaze, she continued, "Um, I'll meet you at you're house, don't worry. I'll be fine." Usually, Chouko would help me back to Urahara's place, not leave me to be...'Jealous that she's not paying enough attention to you, Ichigo?' says zangetsu. I glare at him, 'course not! well, okay, maybe a little, but mostly I'm kind of worried...'

************************************************** ********************************************** *At Urahara's place*

"Ichigo, Ichigo," Urahara gives me a pat on the shoulder and says cheerfully, "You're ready to go!" I look down at my freshly wrapped bandages and give him a nod. "Oh, and come back tomorrow for a change of bandages! Don't go to you're father, just come to me!"

"Uh...okay then. Thanks Mr. Urahara," I stood up and began to walk out the door, "Uh, you know how some shinigamis came to celebrate Christmas?" Urahara nodded, and explained to me briefly that after me and Chouko went off to battle Grimmjow and some Menos, other hollows had came, and they had helped out. Upon a sudden message sent from Head Captain Yammamoto, they had returned to the soul society. I nod in thanks, and took a step to leave-

"Wait," Urahara's serious face goes on, "Where's Chouko? She's usually with you." I shrugged and told Urahara how she said that she'd meet me at my house. He looks deep in thought, but nods, "Well have her brew some of that catnip tea she told me she likes brewing, it'll help with the pain." I nod again, and leave.

I'm back at home, and Dad stops me on my way up the stairs. "Where's Chouko?"

"Wait, didn't she come back yet?" I frowned, "She told me that she'd meet me here..." Was she in trouble? Or maybe... she found someone else to spend her time with, I thought back to how she wasn't paying enough attention to me anymore, but pushed that out of my head. The Chouko I knew wouldn't do that, right?

Dad shrugged, and that's when I noticed he was in his shinigami form, "I was waiting for you to come home so I could go out. Felt a hollow out there for a moment...but..." I raised an eyebrow when Dad didn't continue. Dad waved his hand and said, "Ah well, it doesn't matter anymore. Hollow's gone, and I think it was just a concidence." I stared after him, but decided it was nothing. Now, where was Chouko anyways?

As if on cue, the front door opened and in came Chouko, slightly disheveled. "Hey Ichigo," she said. My eyes widened as I noticed a scent of soul blood around her, and blood trickling down her hand. She followed my gaze and gave a laugh, "Just ran into some lowlifes on the way, nothin' to worry about. This isn't my blood." Brushing past me, she goes up the stairs and into the bathroom in a single flash. Huh.

I'm in my room, pondering about Chouko, when she comes in. She's cleaned up in the bathroom and now even the faintest trace of blood was gone. "So, how was you're fight with Grimmjow?"

She looks at me for a moment, "My fight with Grimmjow? What're you talking about-Oh yeah! My, uh, fight with Grimmjow! Well, it was pretty simple, he was really weak so yeah!" Chouko suddenly lunges at me and I shifted quickly out of the way-instincs. Stupid instincs. She catches herself and spins around, moving so quickly, and in the next instant, she was sitting on my lap. "Ichigo...I was going to give you a kiss..." she says with a playful pout.

"..." I stared at her blankley,"...sorry, it's just...you weren't this forceful before..."

An uneasy look creeps into the depth of her eyes but they vanish as quickly as they appeared, "Aw, Ichigo, I'm sorry. It's just that I though, since Chouko and you are in a relationship..."

"Going third person now, eh?" I said teasingly, trying to lighten up the situation. I winced as she shifts so that most of her weight was rested on my newley bandaged legs.

She sees the wince and instantly gets off, looking relieved, "sorry," she purrs, "Did I hurt you?" Okay. Now this was just plain freaky. Maybe it was the fact that I was sleep-deprived. Yeah. That was it. Sleep-deprived.

"Nah, s'okay," I said, "Uh, Chouko.." this was plain awkward, usually a sentence like that would follow with an offer of giving me something for the pain but.."Do you mind brewing some tea? I think it might help with the pain."

"Tea?" Chouko looked beweildered, "But I don't know how-Oh, tea, of course. Yeah, be right back, Ichigo." She leaves the room, and returns a bit later with a cup of green-blue tea. Blue? "I'm just going to go outside for a moment, kay? I need a bit of privacy. Without waiting for an answer, she whirls around and leaves. Okay then...

I swirl around the tea in my mug, and stare uncertainly at it. My instincs were telling me it wasn't a good idea to drink it..but it was made from Chouko, and it's not like she would poison me. A tapping sound came from my drawer, but I ignored it. Lifting the mug to my lips, I took a sip-

Something smashed hard on my back, making me spit out the contents and drop the mug on the floor. "Ichigo! You baka!" says Kon, jumping around angrily, "That is drugged! With poison! 3rd degree! You baka you almost died!" Kon kept on jumping around angrily and I stared down at the wet puddle of tea/poison on the floor.

"But Kon, it's probably not poison.." I said slowly, "Chouko brewed me this..." Speaking of Chouko, what was she doing in the backyard? She said she needed some privacy, so I decided not to have a look, but...

Leaning back on my bedroom wall, I thought about how I had felt a cool blade touch my neck, and how, moments later, I saw Chouko sheath her zanpakuto. Her hunger, and then her coming back smelling of soul blood-not hollow blood, but soul blood. She had pressed her hand on my wounds way too hard, as if she wanted to open my wound, instead of wanting it to heal. She always needed a moment to think about an answer to a question I asked her concernign the recent past. And now she tried to poison me.

I stared sadly at the floor, and wondered, Chouko, who are you right now? This person here, looking like you, is that even you?

To be continued...

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	13. Chapter 12: Mankano Sosuke

**HEY, I KNOW I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN A WHILE..BUT HERE'S A NEW UPDATE! YAY! (I KNOW, I KNOW, I'M SORRY)**

Chouko's POV

I stared in utter uncomprehension, "...his brother? I didn't know..."

He threw back his head and let out a roar of laughter, "Of course you don't, darling! What kind of person would he be if he let everyone know every single thing about him, hm? Now, to answer you're final question, you, birdie, are in my castle. Our castle, actually, a castle that Ni-sama and I built together, a castle that I would be spending time with him if not for..." he trailed off, and gulped. His light grey eyes seemed to be caught on fire and he glared at me, his face contorted with hatred.

My body started trembling against my will and I stood up to scramble back to put some distance between us two. My legs gave away at once, and I collapsed on the ground, clutching my chest in pain. Something surged up from the pit of my stomach and I started to vomit. My body shuddered again, and I fought to breathe. What was going on?

The spiritual pressure suddenly lightened and my body sank to the ground, limp. I drew in a shaky breath and started to cough again, and something flipped me swiftly onto my back. "Now now, can't let my birdie die yet, can I?" he leaned close to me, gently smiling, "That is, not before I can get Ichigo Kurosaki-"

My eyes widened when he said Ichigo's name, "Ichigo! What did you do to him, you moron?!" I flinched as he slaps my face.

"You will address me as Mankano-sama, little birdie," he pauses and drew back, "Well well, it is only expected to here that you're worried about you're boyfriend, yes? Very well then, lets have a look at the human world, shall we?" he laughes, "Of course, we can only see him when lowlives are around, but that'll be sufficiant, yes?"

Mankano-san snaps his fingers and Ulquiorra comes into the room, carrying a glass plate-a large glass plate, and I let out a gasp of suprise,"But you died..." Ulquiorra doesn't even turn around as he places the glass plate into Mankano-san's hand, as if he didn't hear me. With a bow, he turns on his heel and leaves. I turn my questioning gaze to Mankano-san, and he shakes his finger at me.

"Tsk, tsk, little birdie, I have been a hospital host by answering three of your questions. Now I'm being even more generous by answering a fourth. Don't try my patience, if you want to find out what is happening to _Ichigo Kurosaki_." He lets out another burst of laughter, and waves his hand over the plate. Ichigo. I let out a sigh of relief when I see that he's survived his fight with the Menos, and I sense Mankano-san frown beside me. My blood turns cold when I see Ichigo turn around, and crash into someone who had blonde hair and-wait a minute...this person...was me? How was that possible? I was right here, unless...the image on the plate started to blur, and the last thing I saw was the double of me pointing a knife to Ichigo's throat.

"Too bad," Mankano-san laughs, "The live surveillance doesn't last very long after the lowlives are destroyed." Lowlives? Was that the name they used for Menos Grandes? I felt tears of frustration sting my eyes, Ichigo had to be alright. Please, hang on there Ichigo, I'm going to save you- "Thinking of saving your boyfriend, little birdie?" Mankana-san suddenly takes a hold of my throat, and snarles, inches away from my face, "You'll need to get out of here first, darling. And you. Will. Never. Be. Able. To. Escape. From. Me." My body starts to shake from fear, and he lets go of me.

I fall with a thud onto the sandy floor, and the sound echos through the far too empty castle. Mankana-san was so terrifying..._You need to get out of here. Okay...easy for you to say! I don't even know where I am! Watch and learn, Chouko. You have always been quiet, but a good observer,_says Kori no Sokubaku, trying to soothe me, _you need to get out of here before you end up like Raki._Raki...that's right, Ichigo might end up like Raki. I needed to leave this place, no matter what.

Mankano's voice jolted me out of my thoughts as he sits down on a chair across from me. "Now, little birdie, lets be nice and straightforward, shall we? Just to make things a bit easier for both of us. Now, tell me, where does this Ichigo Kurosaki live? And what's his bankai like?"

I opened my mouth but hesitated. Why was Mankano-san asking me so much questions about Ichigo? Was he planning on attacking him? "...I...don't know..." Mankano-san frowned just so ever slightly. I looked away, "...I...really...don't know...Mankano...um...sama..." I gasped with pain as I felt a sudden pressure on my neck.

"I implore you, little birdie, I do not want to be difficult. Lets have a pleasant conversation, shall we?"

I gasped, "I...don't know...really..."

"Huh. Ulquiorra, strap her down." Two cold shackels went around my waist and I started to shake with fear. What was Mankano-san going to do? A cold blade grazed my cheek so ever slightly, and, a barely audible whisper came out of his lips, "Where does Ichigo Kurosaki live, little birdie?" I bit my lip. "Not going to talk, shall we? Very well then." Cold metal dug into my skin and I dug my nails into my palm to stop myself from screaming out loud. I winced and clutched my throbbing cheek when he removed the knife. "I will ask you again. Where. Is. Ichigo. Kurosaki."

Should I tell him? dklfjisdjfklxcjkcjkla why was I acting so weak? I can't put Ichigo in danger, I can't. I looked away from Mankano-san, trying to ignore the warm blood dripping on the floor. The next blade caught me off guard, and I screamed as cold metal found it's way through the flesh in my left arm. Mankano-san slaps my other cheek, "Shut up, birdie." I bit my lip, but tears streamed down my cheek and the edge of my vision started to blur as I felt the blade gently prod my bone...

Mankano-san withdrew himself from me, "So this first degree torture is not good enough? No? Well, I'll come back tomorrow, and hopefully you'll come to your senses by then, little birdie. If you must know, I will get my revenge on Ichigo Kurosaki, whether you talk or not." Then he too, turns on his heels, and walks out of the room.

My body sags and the shackels, thanks to Kori no Sokubaku, fall away. I clutch my left arm, and lie on the sandy floor for a moment, wishing that it was all a dream, that it wasn't real..._What are you doing, Chouko? Get up already! You need to get out of here! It was pure luck that Mankano Sosuke let you keep me by your side. __You're right. I need to go and save Ichigo from...that double of me. You idiot, are you still thinking about that boy? You need to get out of here! Worry about yourself first! Look at you, look at this mess you've made! It'll take ages to clean the floor 'cause of your blood. He is not just a boy, Kori no Sokubaku. Ichigo is-Okay. Whatever. But you need to get out of here first. ...I guess that's the only thing we can agree on for now...but how-_something blue was faintly glowing a few feet from me. What was that? _I managed to open a portal for you using the remains of our reliatsu combined. You will be very weak afterwards. Now, lets get going._

I tried to get up, but my legs wouldn't move, so I crawled, inch by inch, to the portal. Next thing I knew, I was falling out of the sky, onto the pavement. Huh, if anyone saw me now they'd think I had been acting in a horror movie and had forgotten to remove my makeup...getting up unsteadily, ignoring my bleeding arm, I started to walk in the direction where I thought Ichigo's house was. I lived in Kakura town long enough to become a bit familiar with the neighbourhood, thank goodness for that!

_Darn it, Chouko, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING? You're suppose to be going to Urahara's Shop, which is in the OTHER direction! I know..I just need to check if Ichigo's okay first..No! You have lost way too much blood, you need to go to Urahara's NOW! ...but, what about Ichigo? I can't leave now, I have to make sure Ichigo's okay first. YOU IDIOT I DON'T CARE ABOUT ICHIGO, THE PERSON WHO I'M WORRIED FOR IS YOU-_

I'm suddenly lifted off the ground, and I focus back on the real world. I was staring at myself, with a blade pointed at my throat.

"...you escaped, hm? Well, you won't get very far," says the girl with the same face as me.

TO BE CONTINUED

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**THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS CHAPTER!**


	14. Chapter 13: I'm Sorry

**HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII SO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE!**

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**Chouko's POV**

"...you escaped him, hm? Well, you won't get very far," said the girl with the same voice as me.

I groaned inwardly... I got caught..how can I help and make sure Ichigo's okay now? _That's right, you idiot. I told you to go to Urahara's Shop, but would you listen? ...ano...I'm sorry...*sigh*, wait a minute...this is the girl that has been impostering me! ...*sweatdrop* You figure that out now? Okay look, if it takes you THAT long to figure something like this_ out... my zanpakuto's voice trailed off with a worried tone, and I waited for him to continue. When Kori no Sokubaku didn't, I blinked and came back into focus to my surroundings.

_Shit._

My double was holding my zanpakuto.

I make a desperate lunge towards it but my body only moves a few inches before collapsing back onto the ground. "Give that back!"

She bent down, and holds my zanpakuto, waving it infront of my face, "Ah, so master wanted me to finish this little bothersome job. Listen very carefully. You help me find Ichigo Kurosaki, and I won't hurt your zanpakuto."

"Ichigo?" Did this mean he was okay? But what did she mean? "Hurt my...zanpakuto? "

"You shinigamis are such idiots," she licks the tip of her index finger, and it turns into a claw. In slow motion, she reaches up and breaks off the very tip of Kori no Sokubaku-"You're his girlfriend, so you'd better tell me everything. Before your zanpakuto is in a million pieces." Her icy hand strokes my cheeks , "You wouldn't want your zanpakuto to get hurt now, would you? Like dear little Raki-kun? Not after you've been such a horrible master to it, pitful little thing that is so weak."

I opened my mouth to retort but her last sentence stung. A lot. I clenched my hand close to my chest...it was true...and now, because of my selfishness, Kori was going to get hurt. All because of me...How can I save both of them? I felt a cool calmness sink into my body. That's right, I wasn't weak. There had to be a way to save both of them, 'cause there was no way I was going to loose the two people that I cared about the most-and Nee-san...what would Nee-san say? Well, Nee-san will be okay. But first...I had to save Kori first. And then I could...I could get there before them..and save Ichigo?

"Well...okay...what do you want to know?"

Her grin stretches wide, revealing her hollow glint in her eyes, "I knew you would cooperate. Tell me, where does Ichigo live?"

**Ichigo's POV**

_Chouko..._I open my eyes and realized I had dozed off with my back against the wall while waiting for Chouko to return. Did she not come back? "Kon! Oi, Kon!" I yell, scrambling through my drawers, "WHERE ARE YOU WHEN I FINALLY WANT TO TALK TO YOU?!"

"Ni-san?" I turn around to see Yuzu peeking in through the doorway, "Are you okay?"

"Yuzu!" I rush over and try my best to stop her from seeing the mess I had made in less than 5 minutes while searching for Kon to avoid a lecture, "Have you seen this stuffed lion that I keep in my room?"

"Oh," Yuzu looks at me with an innocent smile and shows me what she had behind her back, "You mean this? I came in and washed it. Now it's all sparkly and clean." I nodded uncertainly, staring at the shiny clean Kon who looked like as if he had been strangled. "But Ni-san...I didn't know you had a thing for stuffed animals..." Yuzu said as I took it from her hands.

"Well...er...don't worry 'bout it too much Yuzu." She nodds and leaves the room. Once I was sure she was gone, I turn back to Kon and shake him violently, "KOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN N"

He jumps out of my hands and takes a super hero pose, "Yeah! Thats right! KON is awessssssssoooooooooooommmmmmmeeeeeeeee"

"Kon! I'm serious! Have you seen Chouko? Did she come back?" I stare at him intently, waiting for an answer. Seeing my expression, Kon goes serious and shakes his head. "Dammit, where did she go?" I sigh and get up, wincing slightly when I put too much weight on one leg. Walking down the stairs, I pause just long enough to say, "I'm going out!"

I frown as I look into our backyard and saw that no one was there. Where did Chouko go? Dammit, did I upset her or something? Maybe I should-

_Ichigo..._ Zangetsu? Is that you? _Can you sense that? _Huh? What're you talking- I paused. Her reliatsu! It was coming from an intersection in the middle of Urahara's Shop and my house, in front of that stupid ad that said "Toronto has hundreds of patios to chill with your BFFs" (I never understood the point of that ad because this wasn't even Toronto).

My face broke out into a relieved smile and I started forward in a fast sprint- _Wait, Ichigo. Something's wrong. _Waddya mean, Zangetsu? It's Chouko! _Or is it? I know you're not good at sensing reliatsu, Ichigo, but this is something you can do. Concentrate on 'Chouko''s reliatsu. Can you sense something else? _Something else? Zangetsu, just get to the point already! I don't want to be wasting time here observing when she could be hurt! _I know, but this is something you need to realize by yourself. _Zangetsu, quit being ridiculous! Just tell me already!

No answer. Zangetsu!

_Just try. _I sighed in frustration and clenched my hand tight. Alright then. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath to calm myself and tried to focus on that spark of Chouko's reliatsu...wait a minute...what was this? This reliatsu...it's mixed with something else...no, it's on top of something else, very carefully hidden away...as if... _Do you feel it? _Yeah. What is it? _I'm not sure myself, feels like a hollow's... but be careful. _Wait, how come you didn't warn me about this earlier, Zangetsu? _Because, Ichigo...*sigh in frustration*...you see, I didn't sense this around Chouko before Grimmjow's 2nd attack. _

Oh. If that was true then, maybe the 'Chouko' I had been hanging around with today wasn't actually-

A spark of reliatsu had just appeared beside 'Chouko''s reliatsu-so faint I wouldn't have detected it until I felt Zangetsu shift uneasily. _...Ichigo..._ Zangetsu? Who is that that just appeared? Do you know? _It's very faint, and fading fast. I cannot tell...but... _Yeah? _I don't know...wait...the first reliatsu...it's heading back to your house._

**Chouko's POV**

"Very well..." the girl/hollow stood up, dropped my zanpakuto on the ground and vanished.

I caught Kori no Sokubaku before it hit the cement, and layed on the sidewalk for a while. _Kori no Sokubaku? ...I'm alive...I think. I'm so sorry...I haven't been paying much attention to you lately...Save your apology for later. Now, what was that plan of yours that you were thinking about? Don't call me stupid. You go back to the Soul Society, and I'll go to Ichigo's house-I know a shortcut so hopefully I'll get there fast enough to stop those Hollows from hurting Ichigo. Okay? Stupid! What kind of zanpakuto do you take me for?! There is noooooo way I'm leaving you here to go on a suicide mission by yourself? The chances of success are 0 to 0 if you're by yourself-and yes I know you can work miracles BUT I'm staying with YOU. But Kori, what if you get hurt? Like...like... Well that's my fault. What if you get hurt and I'm not there, eh? But I ...I was the one who...Don't you get it? IT'S BECAUSE OF ME THAT YOU, ICHIGO, AND EVERYONE ELSE IS GETTING HURT! IF I WASN'T HERE- Listen Chouko. I don't know who that Mankano Sosuke is after-and neither do you. For all you know, he could be after a hairband. Listen to me. I. AM. YOUR. ZANPAKUTO. AND. I. AM. STAYING. WITH. YOU. Kori no Sokubaku..._

Oh well, looks like my zanpakuto wasn't planning on cooperating with me. I stood up, my legs trembling, and placed my zanpakuto on the floor. If luck was by my side, maybe for some reason a shinigami would find this one day and return it to the soul society. Just maybe.

_NO! YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME! CHOUKO, YOU'RE NOT LEAVING ME HERE! IF YOU DO I WILL MATERIALIZE AND CHASE AFTER YOU! __Well it's not like you want to help anyways, okay? You're the one who kept on saying stuff like 'Oh, stop worrying about a random person' and all that but I-...I just...Ichigo, he... Look Chouko, I know. I get it, you love him. What? No, not that! I don't...welll *blush* maybe I do but...um... You're worried about him. It's natural. And look, I just wanted to keep you safe and happy, Chouko. You are my master, and the master whom I choose to reconize. Now show me that you care about me by not leaving me behind. I'll help you defeat this Mankano Sosuke, Chouko. That's what a zanpakuto is for-or at least, in my opinion. Really? I...thanks Kori no Sokubaku...I owe you one. You don't owe me anything, Chouko, just try not to get killed, alright?_

I nodded. But I frowned at Kori no Sokubaku's next words. _You're going to have to temporarily cut ties with Ichigo Kurosaki._ No way. Why should I need to-_Chouko, I hate to say this, but have you realized that those Hollows have all been trying to get to Ichigo through you?_ I froze, and slowly nodded. _That's why, to make sure no Hollows come chasing after you again, you need to._ I rolled my eyes, _so in the end you're priority is my safety instead of Ichigo's. Well I-you're my master._ I took a deep breath and nodded. For Ichigo. _Okay. I just hope we don't run into him on the way back to where we came from to look for Mankano Sosuke..._

My zanpakuto silently nodded and I took a step forward. A bit of zanpakuto reliatsu** flowed through me and I quickly started to flash step towards a tiny ball of energy that felt like Mankano Sosuke's when something roughly grabbed my shoulderblades.

"I've been looking for you everywhere! Why didn't you tell me where you were? When I realized that girl was an imposter, I was worried sick about you!"

**Ichigo's POV**

My house? Uh oh. I started running as fast as I can-still in human form, back to my house when I sensed 'Chouko''s reliatsu vanish completely. Looking up ahead, I saw 'Chouko' transform, literally. Something goo-like fell from the sky onto her and everything melted away, revealing an Arrancar in her place. The Arrancar turned and dissappeared. I turned, too, about to follow-_Ichigo! The second reliatsu! It got stronger, and I think that's Chouko's. _I froze, and concentrated on the thin thread of reliatsu flowing from two blocks to the left of me. Chouko! Popping into my mouth one those Ducky pills Rukia had left me, I tore off my gigai and shunpoed towards it.

I let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the blonde shinigami shunpoing along the block, but that quickly turned into frustration. I grabbed her by the shoulderblades and yelled, "I've been looking for you everywhere! Why didn't you tell me where you were? When I realized that girl was an imposter, I was worried sick about you!"

**Chouko's POV**

I let out a high-pitched screech of suprise and turn around. My heart rises up and then drops, then rises up again. Half of me is relieved that Ichigo was okay, the other half was nervous now that he was here. _Kori no Sokubaku...do I have to? ...you decide..._ That's right. I...I took a deep breath to steel myself against the churning feelings in my heart, and the urge of just throwing myself into his arms. This was for Ichigo.

"Ichigo."

He frowns, "After all that happened, this is all you have to say to me?"

I gulped, "...um...I..."

"Where were you all this time?!" His chestnut eyes are burning with anger, but beneath it was worry. Ichigo...I...want to tell you what happened but...I steeled myself and looked straight at his eyes, imagining I was staring at Grimmjow instead of him.

"It's none of your buisness." The disbelief in his eyes was too much to bear, but I forced myself to not look away, "Why do you care, Kurosaki? You...are a..Just leave me alone! We're over! I'm gonna go back-" the lie catches in my throat, but I need to say it, "I'm gonna go back to the Soul Society and I don't want you to EVER COME NEAR ME AGAIN." Giving him a cold look, I turn away, but he catches my arm. The gesture made me lightly blush, but I pushed the tingly feeling away. "D-didn't you hear me?! I said WE ARE OVER! DON'T TOUCH ME!"

He shakes his head, his eyes torn between confusion and hurt, "Chouko, I don't believe you Chouko. What happened to you? Let me at least take you back to the Soul Society, alright? I-"

My heart tears to two as I pull out Kori no Sokubaku and brush it against his chest-hard enough to make it bleed, but not for it to actually physically hurt him..."I said leave me alone. Don't you ever come near me again, Ichigo Kurosaki." I turn and walk away, feeling the hurt in his eyes burn through my back, through my heart.

_Ichigo...I'm sorry..._

.

...

I start shunpoing again, but after another few blocks, there's a light tug on my sleeve...

"...Chouko-san?" says Orihime Inoue

************************************************** *******************To be continued************

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**So here's a long chapter to make it up for the wait! Thanks for reading, guys! Please Review!**

**reliatsu that the zanpakuto has inside his/herself that is similiar, but not exactly like shinigami reliatsu, but only the zanpakutos can tell the difference


	15. Chapter 14: For you, and everyone else

**Hi,**

**Long time no update, I'm sowwie...I'd ramble on about my life, but it's no excuse, I know :) So lets cut the endless ramble and get on with the story!**

-0000-

**Chouko's POV**

"...Chouko-san?" says Orihime Inoue.

_Oh hollows, on a day like this, my least favourite person just had to show up..._ _She isn't that bad_, says Kori no Sokubaku thoughtfully, _In fact, she reminds me a lot of you..._ ...I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, knowing how emotional Orihime might get. _Lets just get this over with._ I try to smile as cheerfully as possible, "Hi Inoue-san!"

Orihime tilts her head to the side, and I feel a stab of annoyance when I see her innocent expression, "Chouko-san, where are you going? Isn't Ichigo with you?"

"Well, uh, I..." my mind went blank for a moment, before the lie I told Ichigo popped into my head, "I'm going back today."

"Oh," Orihime looked sad. She actually looked sad. I felt a pang of guilt. This girl whom I disliked so much was _sad_ about me leaving... "I didn't know that. We didn't even have a chance to talk together, you and I.." then she brightens, "I know! Why don't you come over to my house for some tea? Then at least we can spend half and hour together talking!"

"Orihime..."

"We can have food and I'll prepare my favourite dessert for you!" she says happily, "I know you guys don't like my food, but this one is good, even Kurosaki-san and Rukia-san liked it!"

"Orihime..." I say.

She pauses and looks up at me, her eyes shining with delight, "Yes?"

"I.." I bit my lip. It was so annoying, so darn annoying that she was so very sincere and I really didn't want to say no to her...so innocent. But Mankano Sosuke was getting further and further away, as far as I was concerned. I gulped, "I really need to go, Orihime. Thanks though," I said, giving her the happiest smile I could muster, "I really do appreciate it though!" The last part, truly wasn't a lie.

"Oh," she looked crestfallen, but returned my smile, "Sure! Have a safe journey, Chouko-san! Be sure to come back and visit soon!"

I nod, "I will." I turn around, and start walking away from Orihime, feeling guilt pile up in my chest. _I'm sorry Orihime, but if I survive, I promise I'll come over for tea at your house..._

**Ichigo's POV**

"Dammit!" I said, clutching the light wound on my chest. It hurt, more than any injury I had ever recieved...I panted, trying to keep myself from screaming out loud, "I..couldn't stop her." Common sense told me to walk back to my house, get some bandages for my wound, blah blah blah. _Chouko would be fine,_ said a voice in my head, _she said she was going to go back to the Soul Society. She'll be okay._ I frown, _but Chouko wasn't like herself. Why did she act like that? This was so darn confusing!_ Why oh why were things so complicated?!

_The thing was, I wasn't sure if Chouko was telling me the truth. And either ways, there's gotta be a reason why she's mad at me. I wasn't going to let her go without hearing a full out explanation from her. And moreover,_ my stomach tightened,_ I just hope she got back okay without getting-oh kuso,_ my breath started coming out in ragged gasps, _what if she went back to fight against that Mankano Sosuke?! No, she wouldn't. Why would she want to get out and come back, right? Unless..._

I turned around, and drew zangetsu. There was no harm in going to the Soul Society and making sure she got home alright, right?

_Where is Chouko?_ My stomach tightened again, and I tried in vain to calm myself down. _She's okay, she's okay_... I take one more tour around the Soul Society. She wasn't there. Maybe...maybe Rangiku would know? She was her sister afterall. Deciding to pay Rangiku a visit, I shunpoed to the Squad 10 barracks.

"MASUMOTO!" the angry voice that was unmistakablely Toshiro's sounded from inside his office.

"NE, DON'T KILL ME CAPTAIN!" wailed the more feminine voice.

I smiled for a brief moment, glad to know that something was still normal. Opening the door (forgot to knock, sorry Toshiro) I looked around, but couldn't find Chouko-or at least, I couldn't see her.

"I-CHI-GO!"

I'm momentarily suffocated by, uh..

"WHERE'S CHOUKO?" says Rangiku, glancing around, "Isn't she suppose to be with you?"

Kuso. "No," I said, looking down, "She..she and I had a fight and..she told me she was going back to the Soul Society but...she didn't really seem like her usual self so I thought I might as well come and just make sure she got here safetly," I sigh, frustrated, "But she's not here."

Chouko's POV

There it is. I draw Kori no Sokubaku, _ready? Yes... Alright then, here we go.._. The portal opens, and I take a step in.

...To be continued

**Hey guys,**

**I just want to take this time to thank everyone whom has been taking the time to read my story! Sorry this chapter was short, but I promise the next update will have a (very) long one!**

**And, you know, the please review usual stuff I say. :) **

**-I'll update a bit faster, or at least, I promise to try**


	16. Chapter 15: For whom?

**_Hi everyone! Here's an update :)_**

**3RD PERSON POV**

_"WHERE'S CHOUKO?" says Rangiku, glancing around, "Isn't she suppose to be with you?"_

_Kuso. "No," Ichigo said, looking down, "She..she and I had a fight and..she told me she was going back to the Soul Society but...she didn't really seem like her usual self so I thought I might as well come and just make sure she got here safetly," Ichigo sighed, frustrated, "But she's not here."_

"WHAT?!" yelled Rangiku, momentarily blasting apart Ichigo's and Toshiro's eardrums, "WHADDYA MEAN SHE ISN'T WITH YOU?! ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU LOST HER?!"

Ichigo's eyebrows knit together in frustration, "I-"

"ICHIGO!"

Something small and orange flies through the air, bounces off Rangiku's er, uniform, and smacks into Ichigo's face. Seconds later, two low-ranked shinigamis pop in, waving their zanpakutos around.

"..." Toshiro gives them an annoyed/sceptical look, "What are you two doing? Aren't you suppose to be guarding the inner entrance to the Serentei?"

"Well, er, Captain..you see, um," said the two. Toshiro's fingers start tapping on his zanpakuto in impatience.

"Learning from my fuku-taicho, I see," says Toshiro, an anger vein popping out.

"Er yes-" then it dawns on the shinigamis that Toshiro meant the always-running-away-from-paperwork-Rangiku and looked horrified, "WE MEAN, NO! OF COURSE NOT! You see, there was this small intruder, so small that we wouldn't have noticed except he stepped on my foot and then-" they pale as they see Toshiro's face, "No, Taicho, we're serious! There was, it was like a stuffed animal, and it-LOOK, THERE IT IS!" they said, pointing to Kon's tail peeking out behind Ichigo's back.

"Uh oh," says Kon, and jumps into Ichigo's arms, "ICHI-NII, SAVE ME!"

"Ne," says Rangiku, picking up Kon and cuddling it, "See how harmless it is? So adorable!" The two shinigamis look slightly weirded out. With an awkward bow, they left. Rangiku immediately let go of Kon, who fell on the ground, dazed.

They all stare at the unmoving stuffed animal for a few minutes, before Ichigo bends down and pokes it in the stomach. It didn't react. "Kon," says Ichigo, picking it up and swinging it around, "You alive?"

"Uhhhhh..." then Kon jumps out of Ichigo's grasp, "EMERGENCY! ICHIGO, CHOUKO'S IN TROUBLE!" They all stared at him. Kon looks around in despair," HEY, DIDN'T YOU GUYS HEAR ME?! I SAID: CHOUKO'S IN TROUBLE! EMERGENCY! CHOUKO'S IN TROUBLE! EMERGENCY! CHOUKO'S IN TROUBLE! EMERGENCY! CHOUKO'S IN-"

"WILL YOU STOP YELLING AND TELL US SOMETHING WE DON'T KNOW?!" yelles Ichigo, finally loosing his patience, "WE KNOW THAT CHOUKO'S IN TROUBLE! DO YOU KNOW WHERE SHE IS?"

"Oh," Kon pauses for a moment, and gives a dramatic show of catching his breath, "Well, uh, you...see...I...saw...Chouko...and...she...didn't. ..even *sob**sob**sob* say...goodbye...and..." Kon's eyes suddenly bulge outwards in horror as he turns to face the three of them, a wet puddle of tears beneath his feet, "CHOUKO OPENED A SENKEI GATE TO HUECO MODO!"

"SHE WHAT?!" yells Ichigo, Rangiku and Toshiro at the same time.

"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME? I SAID: CHOUKO OPENED A SENKEI GATE TO HUECO MODO! CHOUKO OPENED A SENKEI GATE TO HUECO MODO! CHOUKO OPENED A SENKEI GATE TO HUECO MODO! CHOUKO OPENED A-"

Rangiku's hands clamp over Kon's mouth, and she stares at him with a shadowed face, "_Are you sure_?" Unable to speak, Kon nodded. "Kuso," she turns, "Ichigo, I think maybe she-" she stops in midsentence, seeing the tip of a black shihakusho dissappear through the door.

"He left," seeths Toshiro, anger veins popping out repeatedly, "Idiot. Doesn't he realize we need a plan _first_? Sometimes I feel so old.."

Rangiku's eyes are distant, "I'll trust Ichigo to go and keep Chouko safe, since I-"

"No," says Toshiro, shaking his head, "This is an exception. Now, we on the other hand, need to make arrangements. A taicho and a fuku-taicho cannot simply leave without being questioned. If you can finish your share of paperwork today, I can make sure that we're able to leave in the evening-"

"ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU, CAPTAIN!" says Rangiku, glomping him in a hug, "ARIGATOU ARIGATOU ARIGATOU ARIGATOU!"

"..." _this is making me regret the decision I made a few seconds ago..._thinks Toshiro, pushing Rangiku away, "Get to it."

"Hai!"

-1111111111111-

**Chouko's POV**

_There it is. I draw Kori no Sokubaku, ready? Yes... Alright then, here we go... The portal opens, and I take a step in._

Tmp, tmp, tmp. I look behind my back nervously, feeling alone and scared as my footsteps echoed through the hallway of Hueco Modo Castle. It had been a long walk to this place, through the desert it was too quiet. _You're not alone._ I close my eyes for a moment, _that's right. Kori no Sokubaku was here with me, but...I'm still scared, is that alright? ...I confess that I am a bit scared aswell, Chouko. Hey, Kori? Hm? So many zanpakutos call their Shinigami 'master' or 'mistress', why don't you? ...not now... why? you need to_ focus...says Kori, and I feel him closing himself in. _Kori! _

No answer. But he was right, I needed to focus. I eyed the long hallway, shadows seemed to tower over me. I shiver, and brace myself as Mankano Sosuke's spiritual pressure grew stronger and stronger. I step into a room, and the door suddenly slams shut behind me. I jump in fright, how-

"I knew you would come back."

The voice of Mankano Sosuke brought a chill down my back. Oh no oh no...my legs started to quiver. I looked up to see the figure of Mankano sosuke get up from a lone chair. My legs feel weak and I felt my reliatsu melt away, but then I remembered the hollows and my double, lashing out at Ichigo.

That's right.

This man.

Will.

Kill.

Ichigo.

If.

I

Don't.

Stop

Him-

Clang. Our swords clash, but his strength causes me to be the one who has to flash step away. He leaps at me again, and I have no choice but to evade his next slash. Mankano's eyes jeer at me as he continuesly attacks, with me leaping away, evading them by an inch or two.

At this rate with him sneeking up behind all these pillars-

My eyes widen as I see him take a swing at my neck. I raised Kori just in time, blocking it. Mankano increases his pressure on my zanpakuto, and my arms start to shake uncontrollably.

"I know all of your moves, little pet," says Mankano, inches away from my face, "You are in no condition to perform bankai, nor should you forget that I have seen your bankai as well." My breath's coming out in ragged gasps, and I fight to hold my ground. "Why don't you just-"

"Bankai. Grow, Toketsu Kori no Sokubaku," I whisper, touching my zanpakuto. Water spills out, and Mankano leaps away from me. I turn my zanpakuto, _Kori, we're aiming at all these pillars. Can you handle that? Yes... _The pillars are shackled, frozen within the next few seconds. They shatter, but Mankano is unharmed. Wait, was that Mankano in his hollow form? Tentacles spewed out where his limbs should've been, the only thing that stayed the same was his head. How scary...

My legs give away, and I collaps, drained. He lunges towards me, and I manage to raise Kori again, weakly blocking his blow. His tentacles wrap around my body, but loosely. At least..at least those pillars are out of the way now...

"Why can't you just come and join me?" says Mankano, "Why? Ichigo Kurosaki is a heartless person. You know of your double already, so you must know that Ichigo will simply forget about you. Weak and worthless, no one wants you..."

I bit my lip, the last comment really stung. "Why then? Why are you doing this?" I say in a bare whisper. "I don't think you would really want to kill someone without a reason.." _Really? You choose to be that understanding person now? __Oh be quiet...I don't think someone would target a shinigami without reason. If I die-which I probably will, at least I'll know just a bit more about all this. You won't die. Kori...I won't let you.  Nevermind..._

"..." Mankano regards me with narrowed eyes, before laughing, "Well, since you're going to be on my side soon, there's no harm in telling you. Ichigo Kurosaki, as you may already know, killed my brother."

"Killed?" I whispered, wasn't Aizen in jail? Wait a minute, surely Mankano knew that Aizen was still alive! I guess I knew how he felt...if Nee-san was ever hurt by anyone...I'd be angry too.

"To get revenge on him," says Mankano, his eyes turning an angry shade of red, "To make sure Nii-sama didn't do all this in vain, I will get revenge for Nii-sama! I will never forgive Ichigo Kurosaki for killing my brother!."

"But-"

"And," he says, pausing to regain his calm composure, "You're too innocent, just like that Orihime girl. Just like my brother, I will shelter innocent beings like you. Beings that can be easily replaced. You will get replaced, little pet. Just like before, replaced by a double. Your zanpakuto will get a new master, and you will just dissappear."

_That's not true! Chouko, you mustn't believe him-_

"Even your zanpakuto was saying that he wished he had a stronger master," says Mankano Sosuke, "And Ichigo Kurosaki will definately replace you. No one wants you, little pet, because you can be easily replaced. Why not join me?"

_...To be continued_

**_And...here's chapter 15! Hope you guys like it!_**

**_Here's a q for you all: Will Chouko side with Mankano?_**


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